Farke facing up to Leeds challenge as winless run continues

Leeds boss Daniel Farke knows he has a “hell of a task” on his hands at the club this season.

The Whites boss was talking after his side’s 1-1 draw with West Brom.

Brandon Thomas-Asante opened the scoring with a controversial goal which came off his hand before captain Luke Ayling rescued the hosts a point at Elland Road.

Willy Gnonto has this week handed in a transfer request after a string of high-profile departures since the club were relegated from the Premier League.

Farke, whose side are searching for a first league win since the start of April, said: “It’s a hell of a challenge. We were expecting to keep a few of our quality players.

“We also have a few injuries to our key players which is also unlucky.

“We had to wait so long for the financial restrictions to get some incomings so it’s not been easy.

“Hopefully we can get better and better as the season goes. There were many encouraging signs today.

“It’s a long road, a bumpy road, a hell of a task. If it was easy then everybody would do it and I’m looking forward to this challenge.”

On the Albion goal, Farke added: “I wasn’t aware their goal was handball. I was thinking it might be, but I was too far away to judge it.

“We can only concentrate on what we can influence and that’s our performance.

“I only have compliments for the lads. I like this attitude, the lads never know when they are beaten.

“You have these periods in the season where you find it hard to win games so you have to make sure you don’t lose.

“I’m pretty pleased with our performance. It would normally be enough for three points, but I’m pleased with our spirit and the comeback attitude.”

Baggies boss Carlos Corberan spent three years as U23s coach at the club.

But hopes of a happy return to the club were dashed by Ayling’s equaliser.

He reflected: “I think it was a fair result. But we didn’t use our attacking advantages as well as we could have.

“We put pressure on them, but we conceded chances with our mistakes which gave Leeds the mentality that they could hurt us.

“We scored the goal early in the second half and that made us more focused to defend the result.

“I liked how the team’s intensity didn’t decrease after we conceded the goal. We stayed concentrated and we reacted enough and didn’t allow them to keep that momentum and attack us.

“I liked the reaction from the team, I liked the way we showed our personality early in the second half.

“But it is true that we need to avoid the mistakes and to take advantage when we’re attacking to harm the opponent.

“I don’t want to review the actions which may have been complicated for the referees.

“Maybe after we scored the goal we were too focused on defending and maybe we should have been more aggressive. That’s the only thing that maybe I will review and tell my team in terms of managing the game better.”