“That’s what I’ll do to Farke”- Chris Sutton says what he would do with Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, if he was The 49ers

“That’s what I’ll do to Farke”- Chris Sutton says what he would do with Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, if he was The 49ers

The 49ers find themselves in a challenging situation. While a large segment of the Leeds United fanbase may still call for Daniel Farke’s dismissal, doing so would be difficult after such a spirited performance against Manchester City.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha erased early goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol, and it appeared Leeds were on course to secure a point—until Foden struck a late winner.

Despite the defeat, it was an impressive showing: full of character, courage, and collective determination. It also highlighted two key aspects of Farke.

First, his tactical ability allowed Leeds to compete with arguably the best manager in world football. Second, the squad is clearly behind him.

As Graham Smyth noted after the loss to Aston Villa, the dressing room hasn’t turned on Farke—something still evident even after the setback to Manchester City.

Chris Sutton on Daniel Farke’s future

Chris Sutton has consistently backed Farke. With strong ties to Norwich City, Sutton has followed the German coach closely and was genuinely pleased for him after the win over West Ham.

Speaking again after the defeat to Manchester City, Sutton urged Leeds to stay patient. When asked about the rumours surrounding Farke on BBC Radio’s 606, he said he would keep him if he were in charge of the 49ers.

“My take is, at Norwich, the squad was never strong enough for the Premier League and I think that has been held against Daniel Farke,” Sutton explained. “They’ve been competitive, the second-half performance told you everything you need to know about Leeds. They’re going to give it a good crack. They need to stick with Daniel Farke, that’s what I think.”

Who could replace Daniel Farke if Leeds choose to move on?

Unlike the aftermath of the defeats to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, the expectation is that Farke will still be in the dugout when Leeds host Chelsea—a thrilling fixture that will keep supporters glued to the action.

However, there is no escaping the bigger picture. Consecutive losses to Chelsea and Liverpool would take Leeds to six straight defeats and eight in their last nine Premier League matches.

That isn’t just relegation form—it is the kind of run that usually results in a managerial change.

Brendan Rodgers is waiting in the wings, Ange Postecoglou is admired by the hierarchy, and Bo Svensson remains an option while still under contract at Union Berlin.

Many names have been mentioned, but for now, all attention remains on Farke and whether he can turn things around.