🚨 UPDATE, May 2026: Daniel Farke was not sacked. Leeds United survived their first Premier League season back in the top flight, finishing 15th with a remarkable second-half turnaround. Farke described the achievement as one of the proudest of his career. Read on for the full story of the November 2025 crisis, the betting market at the time, and how Leeds pulled clear of relegation.
When Daniel Farke’s Leeds United lost four of their first five Premier League matches after the international break in November 2025, the betting markets moved quickly. The club had won the Championship title the previous season with 100 points and won promotion in style, but the step up to the top flight had exposed familiar vulnerabilities, and with Leeds sitting 16th, just one point above the relegation zone, speculation about Farke’s future became the dominant story around Elland Road.
The German had already faced questions over his Premier League record before the season started, having been relegated from the top flight previously with Norwich City. As results deteriorated in the autumn, that history was raised again by sections of the fanbase and by bookmakers who opened a next manager market with several credible names at the top.
The November 2025 Odds Market
Odds correct at time of original publication, 11 November 2025.
| Candidate | Odds | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Marco Rose | 6/4 | 40.0% |
| Brendan Rodgers | 3/1 | 25.0% |
| Steven Gerrard | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Marco Rose at 6/4 (Did Not Get the Job)
Marco Rose led the market at 6/4 having been out of work since leaving RB Leipzig earlier in 2025. The German coach had a strong managerial track record spanning spells at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, Salzburg and Leipzig, and had guided Leipzig to their first major trophy by winning the DFB-Pokal. With a career win rate of around 58 per cent and availability at short notice, Rose was a logical candidate for a club that needed an experienced manager capable of keeping a newly promoted side in the Premier League. As it turned out, Farke was never replaced and Rose’s availability in the market became irrelevant.
Brendan Rodgers at 3/1 (Did Not Get the Job)
Brendan Rodgers was priced at 3/1 following his exit from Celtic, where his second spell had ended amid reported tensions with the club’s hierarchy. He brought extensive Premier League experience from his time at Swansea, Liverpool and Leicester, including a title challenge at Anfield and a remarkable FA Cup and League Cup double at the King Power, and his ability to work with limited resources and develop young players made him a credible name in survival situations. His presence in the market at 3/1 reflected genuine interest from the betting public, though the job never became available.
Steven Gerrard at 5/1 (Did Not Get the Job)
Steven Gerrard at 5/1 was the more speculative entry in the market. His managerial career had included an impressive unbeaten title-winning season with Rangers and a difficult 40-game spell at Aston Villa before being replaced by Unai Emery, followed by an equally unsuccessful stint at Saudi side Al-Ettifaq. His name carries significant weight in English football and his Rangers record demonstrated a genuine capacity for building winning environments, but his recent record at Premier League and international level made him a riskier option than the other names in the market.
How Farke Turned It Around
The turning point in Leeds’ season came around early December 2025, when Farke made a significant tactical adjustment, switching from his usual 4-2-3-1 shape to a 3-5-2 that gave the team greater defensive solidity and allowed the wing-backs more freedom to contribute to attacks. The change had an almost immediate effect on results and performances. From 3 December onwards, Leeds were among the better sides in the division by points per game, goal differential and expected goal differential, a dramatic contrast with the chaotic first three months of the season.
Central to the transformation was Ethan Ampadu, who was named Leeds’ Player of the Season for his performances in the defensive midfield role. The Wales international became the heartbeat of the team, his composure and reading of the game giving Farke the platform to be more expansive higher up the pitch. Anton Stach also played a significant role in the second half of the season before an injury in the closing weeks ended his campaign early, with the German having played himself into contention for Germany’s World Cup squad before the setback.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin finished as the club’s top scorer with 12 Premier League goals and 13 in all competitions, a tally that justified the club’s decision to sign him in the summer and gave Leeds a reliable focal point in a team that had struggled badly for goals earlier in the season. Joe Rodon established himself as one of the more impressive defenders outside the traditional top six, his form in the back three drawing widespread recognition in the second half of the season.
Leeds’ FA Cup Run
Beyond their league survival, Leeds reached the FA Cup semi-finals in the 2025-26 season, a run that gave the squad considerable confidence and gave supporters some memorable days before a defeat to Arsenal at Wembley ended the dream. The cup run generated significant income and raised the profile of several squad players who might otherwise have had limited opportunities, and Farke pointed to it as an important factor in building belief within the group during one of the most testing periods of his managerial career.
How the Season Ended
Leeds finished 15th in the Premier League with 38 points from 38 matches, securing their top-flight status with enough comfort in the final weeks of the season after the early panic of November had become a distant memory. Their final game was a trip to West Ham on the last day of the season, with Farke naming a strong side and using the occasion to give credit to a squad that had shown the kind of collective resilience that survival battles require.
Farke described the finish as a great achievement given where the club had been in November and the scale of the challenge they had faced on returning to the Premier League after two seasons in the Championship. The club’s average home attendance of 36,774 across the season reflected the support Elland Road gave the team throughout, even during the darkest weeks of autumn.
For more next manager odds coverage across the Premier League, see our Next Premier League Manager to Be Sacked tracker and the Don Hutchison interview in which the former Scotland midfielder discussed Farke’s position and Leeds’ form in detail during the difficult period.
All odds correct at time of original publication, November 2025. Please gamble responsibly. For help with problem gambling visit GambleAware.org. 18+.
