The most notable turnaround came last month when Farke’s side snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in a seven-goal thriller at St James’ Park.
Leeds were 3-2 up when the clock struck 90 minutes before Newcastle scored twice in added time to win 4-3.
The first of those two goals was a 91st-minute Bruno Guimaraes penalty – the fourth spot-kick Leeds have given away in added time this term. Harvey Barnes then clinched it for Newcastle in the 102nd minute, the latest match-winning Premier League goal on record.
Throw in a 94th-minute own goal from Gabriel Gudmundsson during September’s visit to Fulham that gifted the Cottagers all three points, and the pattern does raise questions about Leeds’ fitness and concentration in the latter stages.
“For me it can only be a concentration issue,” says former Leeds and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson. “I don’t think it’s down to fitness – two or three minutes at the end of the game is neither here nor there for these players.
“There are various types of goals in there – penalties, an own goal, others that are harder to legislate for. Any goal, if you break it down, you can pick out an error or a lapse of concentration somewhere along the chain. Maybe sometimes there’s a lack of leadership in the dying minutes.
“The Leeds fans won’t care as long as they stay up but, at the minute, they’re drawing too many games and they’re right in the mix.”
