Leeds United’s 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough last night certainly won’t have made for comfortable viewing on the touchline for Daniel Farke.
The Whites went into the game in desperate need of a return to winning ways and with Boro having nothing to play for, it made for one of the most open first-halves of the season.
Isaiah Jones had put the home side ahead early on but it was not long until Leeds found themselves in front thanks to quickfire strikes from Crysencio Summerville and Patrick Bamford.
Emmanuel Latte Lath then powered Boro back on level terms for a brief period until the game swung back in Leeds’ favour courtesy of Willy Gnonto, a goal which left Michael Carrick fuming.
Summerville, who Stewart Downing hailed as ‘back to his best’, then opened up some daylight between the two sides in the second half with a stunning strike, but Boro were not done there yet as Latte Lath’s 87th minute header set up an extremely nervy finish.
Farke was heard ‘screaming’ at Leeds player in Boro win
Aside from Gnonto, who Farke thought was ‘excellent’ in defeat to Blackburn Rovers, Leeds’ attack has been going through a barren spell recently.
Heading into the game,Summerville was without a goal in three and Bamford in six. Georginio Rutter, meanwhile, had been unable to continue his hot-streak of assists.
Counting Rutter’s penalty win as an assist, that all changed last night, but one thing that didn’t was the form of Gnonto. With seven goals, he has arguably been Leeds’ best player in 2024, and was superb again at Boro.
However, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, there was a moment in which Farke was actually heard screaming at Gnonto from the sidelines, in the second half.
Gnonto had been frustrated at the referee’s decision not to book Lewis O’Brien for handball and so reportedly went ‘wandering through Boro’s technical area’.
This did not please Farke as he urged the winger to switch on and put his focus back on the game. Gnonto is certainly not one to hide his frustration during matches, but he would not be the player he is without that aggression he often displays.