New favourite emerges to replace Farke as Leeds United sack talk ignites – multiple reports

Gary O’Neil has been installed as the new favourite to become Leeds United manager, with Daniel Farke effectively two games away from the sack, while we have taken a look at whether a change of formation could save his skin against Chelsea and Liverpool.

The Whites are in the relegation zone after a dismal run of form that has seen them lose six of their last seven games – a sequence that now shows a four-match losing streak. While there are some arguments to suggest Leeds are unfortunate to only have 11 points from their 13 games played so far, it has not stopped speculation over Farke’s future reaching fever pitch in recent weeks.

Indeed, following the loss to Aston Villa on November 23, our correspondent Fraser Fletcher revealed Farke was hanging to his job by a thread and with the club having started the process of sounding out potential replacements.

Now, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, former Wolves and Bournemouth boss O’Neil is now considered the most likely option the club will turn to if the axe does indeed fall on the 49-year-old German.

Per Football Insider, 49ers Enterprises are now favouring a move for the 42-year-old, having been aroused by both his immediate availability and his track record of keeping both Wolves and Bournemouth afloat in the Premier League. Various outlets have since responded by making O’Neil the new even money favourite to take the Elland Road hotseat.

Sources have since confirmed to TEAMtalk that O’Neil would welcome the chance to take charge at Elland Road.

With two decisive home games to come this week against Chelsea (Wednesday night) and Liverpool (on Saturday evening), Farke can be expected to be removed from his position if he fails to claim a win in either of those two games.

And with the club having some money to spend in the January window, Farke and Leeds are now at a critical junction as the club decides whether to stick or twist on the German’s two-and-a-half-year reign at Elland Road.

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Could a formation change be key to saving Farke from Leeds sack?

With daunting games on the horizon against the reigning world club champions, followed by the Premier League champions, it will certainly not be easy for Farke to save his skin.

As hinted at earlier, the club, though, do feel the manager is unfortunate to not have claimed more points than he has to date – with Saturday’s last-ditch 3-2 defeat at Manchester City a prime example. In addition to that, Farke can point to more last-minute dropped points at Fulham (an injury-time 1-0 defeat) and at home to Bournemouth (an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw).

Had Leeds held on in those three games, that would have been another four points on the board; fine margins to say the least!

During that loss at the Etihad, Leeds had been inspired to fight back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to pull themselves level at 2-2 in the game. And the introduction of Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a half-time substitute saw the visitors revert to a 3-5-2 formation – which gave Pep Guardiola’s side a whole manner of trouble.

With Leeds’ attacking full-backs, three strong centre-halves on their books and with two battering-ram style centre forwards, many believe Leeds should stick with that formation over the next two games in order to aid their chances of claiming a morale-boosting win.

Asked whether he would be tempted to start against Chelsea in such a way, Farke was giving little away in his press conference to preview the game.

“I’m never married to base formations, not during my whole life,” he said.

“I was always addicted to principles of how I want to play football, but I think against different opponents, you have to adapt a bit sometimes in order to bring the principles on the pitch. And one possibility is to do it also by changing the base formation.”

He added: “I’ve done this quite a lot. Sometimes it goes a bit unnoticed where we’ve also played with two strikers, 4-4-2, 4-2-3 and 3-5-2, during the game.

“Of course, it was even a bit more in the spotlight [vs Manchester City]. I’ve managed the Championship three times, fighting for the title, I stick pretty much to the same base formation, just in the moments when we need to change something or when we’re losing position.

“If you play the best sides who have better individual quality, you have to surprise sometimes by changing it also during the game, you have to mirror them sometimes, to take their strength away. And for that, it is always an option, also for us to play a three-man formation [at the back].”

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Who else is in the frame to become next Leeds manager?

With Leeds United doing their due diligence on potential options to replace Farke as manager, we exclusively revealed a new name that has been recommended to 49ers Enterprises through their partnership with Red Bull.

The coach in question has worked, almost anonymously, in their stable for a good number of years, while also assisting Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich.

Another name Leeds do like is Strasbourg’s Liam Rosenior, though he is potentially deemed more of a risk and seen as unlikely to swap life in France for a Premier League relegation scrap.

The Whites are also keen on Brendan Rodgers, though his salary demands will likely sound a note of caution at Elland Road.

We have been told, however, that the 52-year-old former Liverpool and Leicester boss ‘would be open to a conversation’ with Leeds.

A highly-rated Danish coach, however, does look to be out of the frame after he cooled reports he could consider the Elland Road hotseat after his stance on taking the job came to light.