Leeds United manager Daniel Farke was at a loss for words following his team’s 4-0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Friday, a loss that severely damaged Leeds’s chances for automatic promotion and confirmed Leicester’s ascent to the Premier League.
“It’s difficult to find an explanation for the first 20 minutes,” Farke expressed during a press conference.
“We lacked the basics. The basics are to run, to fight, to invest, to be brave, to be compact as a team. We were lacking this in the first 20 minutes.”
Leeds delivered a disappointing performance, enduring their worst defeat of the season as QPR netted two early goals and added another pair from set-pieces after halftime.
Farke acknowledged the strength of QPR and Leicester, the latter now certain of a top-two finish in the Championship and promotion to the Premier League next season.
With Leeds’s prospects dimming, Ipswich Town emerged as the new favorites for the remaining automatic promotion slot, sitting just one point behind Leeds but with two games in hand. They are scheduled to play Hull City on Saturday.
“Congratulations to QPR for a well-deserved win tonight and congratulations to Leicester for promotion,” Farke stated.
“Right now it’s not in our hands anymore. The race is not over. If Ipswich don’t win the next two games we have a lot to play for on the last day.”
Leeds is set to face fourth-placed Southampton on the season’s final day, who also suffered a heavy defeat, losing 5-0 to Leicester earlier in the week.
Rangers manager Marti Cifuentes also celebrated his team’s performance, which ensured their safety in the Championship after a tough season flirting with relegation.
QPR was deep in the relegation battle when Cifuentes took over in October, but his leadership has turned the team’s fortunes around, securing safety with a game to spare.
“When I came here I was perhaps a bit crazy thinking I was sure we could make the great escape. I think we managed it,” Cifuentes remarked.
“Tonight is going to be a long night for a lot of people.”
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