Daniel Farke on Leeds United 'sending message' to claim 'best win' of season
Daniel Farke felt Leeds United "sent a message" in pushing for what he saw as their best win of the season.
It may not have been the newly-promoted side's finest performance of the campaign but when all things were considered, manager Farke felt it was their best win.
Asked why he thought that, he explained: "For many reasons – the first home game of the season was massive against Everton and there were wins against big teams. But we faced a really in-form Fulham side who have delivered performance and result after result in recent weeks.
"We fully deserve to win this game. We didn't give one proper chance away during the whole game, we've missed several chances, stayed relentless. to the end.
"We were able to deliver a clean sheet, the first at home since August, and also in this manner(after) late heartbreak against Newcastle. Today we were there with the late goal, especially after we lost the first fixture (at Craven Cottage in September) in a similar way.
"And after sucker-punches and difficult decisions before this game.
"Yesterday, two of our key players – Jaka Bijol, in form, Anton Stach, key player – were there in the last session (of training before the game) with injuries and not available.
"Under these circumstances where everyone, perhaps also expects (us to win) a home game against Fulham, the expectations are a bit higher in comparison to when we play Chelsea or Liverpool away, or something like this, then to deliver.
"It was also a gameday when perhaps not all the other results go in your favour, when you can lose a lot (of ground in the relegation battle), then to deliver is, for me, really a great feeling.
"The lads deserve all the praise for a great mentality and great self-belief, and fully deserve to win this game. They are allowed to enjoy this a little bit."
Bijol is a doubt for Leeds' first trip to Everton's new stadium a week on Monday with an adductor problem. Bijol's hamstring issue is seen as more serious, with an initial diagnosis of three to five weeks.
West Ham United also claimed a stoppage-time win at Tottenham Hotspur but remain in the relegation zone. Burnley, in 19th, picked up a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.
Farke made positive substitutions with the game in the balance – not only the introduction of Nmecha, but also Willy Gnonto, who ended up at wing-back, and Ao Tanaka for Ilia Gruev giving the midfield a more creative look. Facundo Buonanotte was on unused substitute on what he would have hoped would be his debut.
"Normally a clean-sheet draw against Fulham under these circumstances is also not a bad result.
"Ilia Gruev's awareness was crucial in not giving chances away and Jayden Bogle interpreted his role in a in a really good way after his injury.
"To take them both off and to bring another striker on with Lukas and with our more offensive -minded, creative midfield player (Tanaka), I had also my doubts, because it was quite risky.
"But the gut feeling was we wanted to go for it and and to send this message that although we had already missed several chances, and although we were rock solid before, we will try to score this one goal that we need."
Farke sent another message with his decision to drop goalkeeper Lucas Perri after some sloppy concessions in his previous Premier League outings.
“It’s always a bit of a tricky situation," reflected the manager, who dropped Illan Meslier during last season's Championship title run-in.
"I have so much respect for Lucas and it's been difficult season for him because he came in relatively late in pre-season, was injured, played in a few games, and was injured again.
"But we are deep in the Premier League season and at this level, especially as a promoted side, you need also a goalkeeper with top performances, otherwise you can't stay in the league.
"We simply got the feeling that in the last weeks perhaps he has not delivered, performance-wise at this level, what we were expecting.
"We wanted to take him out of the spotlight and then give him the chance to achieve his best possible level because, sadly, he wasn't able to show this in the last weeks.
"We have in Karl a very reliable, solid goalkeeper. We trust Karl and he got the chance.
"Of course, you can't predict he would return them with a clean sheet.”
Opposite number Marco Silva reflected: "It was not a good performance at all.
"We have to congratulate Leeds and we move on, looking deeper into it and analysing deeper the first-half performance.
"(There was) not any team on the front foot. We had our moment but there not clear-cut chances for either side, really, apart from one moment with (Brenden) Aarsonson. There was a big respect between the teams.
"(In the) second half, we didn't perform at the level that the game demands, really, as simple as that.
"They scored in the end, but they had chances to score earlier than that. "