NafisaLeeds United’s unbeaten start to the new Premier League season has given Daniel Farke plenty to be pleased about, but there is one familiar name that will immediately catch the attention of supporters ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton.
The Whites have made a solid return to the top flight, collecting four points from their opening two league matches after beating Nottingham Forest before being held by Brentford at Elland Road.
Farke’s side will now face another stern examination against a Brighton team that began the campaign with an impressive victory over Aston Villa before suffering a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea.
There is also a significant test waiting at the Amex, where Brighton have enjoyed a strong home record against Leeds over the years. The Seagulls have not lost to the Whites on home soil in more than a decade, although Leeds did take four points from the two league meetings last season.
Farke will also have to manage a number of selection problems. Joe Rodon is the biggest concern for Leeds after the defender was ruled out for eight to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury. Farke confirmed that the centre-back, who started both of Leeds’ opening league fixtures, will miss a significant period.
The situation is rather different when it comes to the two players Leeds brought in on deadline day. Melvin Bard and Jean-Matteo Bahoya are both available and could give Farke fresh options as he attempts to keep the unbeaten run going.
But before the teams even step onto the pitch, there is already one appointment that has given Leeds supporters something to talk about.
The Premier League has confirmed that Stuart Attwell will referee Brighton vs Leeds United at the Amex on Saturday.
For Leeds fans, that name brings back some particularly unpleasant memories.
Attwell was the referee when Leeds suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at Elland Road in March. During that match, Pascal Struijk was involved in an incident inside the Sunderland penalty area after Luke O’Nien grabbed him around the neck as he attempted to attack a set-piece.
No penalty was awarded at the time.
The incident subsequently became one of the most controversial moments of the match, with the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents process later concluding that the decision not to award Leeds a penalty was an error.
Sky Sports reported that the panel was unanimous in its verdict regarding VAR Paul Tierney’s decision, while Leeds’ own match report also recorded Struijk’s penalty appeal after the grapple.
Farke was furious at the time.
“It is not even a question,” the Leeds boss said after the Sunderland defeat. “What was VAR doing? It can’t be a clearer penalty.
“It is tough to understand how this is not checked and not re-watched.”
It is therefore hardly surprising that Attwell’s appointment has caught the eye among the Leeds faithful.
Attwell has officiated 25 Leeds matches, with the Whites winning 12 of those games, meaning their overall record under the referee is not disastrous. But supporters will remember the Sunderland match far more vividly than the raw numbers.
And it is not only the Sunderland fixture that has contributed to the feeling around refereeing decisions at Leeds.
Whites will be hoping for less refereeing drama this season:
Last season saw a number of officiating incidents become talking points around Leeds, with the Sunderland penalty incident perhaps the most obvious example.
Gabriel Gudmundsson was also sent off against Crystal Palace after receiving two yellow cards, a decision that was subsequently acknowledged as an error.
There were other disputed calls throughout the campaign, with Farke regularly finding himself having to answer questions about refereeing decisions after Leeds matches.
The issue of time-wasting is another area that could be particularly interesting this season. Premier League officials are expected to take a firmer approach to goalkeeper timeouts, with the competition looking to clamp down on deliberate delays.
For Farke and Leeds, however, the immediate priority is much simpler.
They need to keep playing their football and avoid allowing controversy to become a distraction.
The unbeaten start has given the Whites some early momentum, while the arrivals of Bard and Bahoya have added further depth to Farke’s options.
Brighton will undoubtedly provide a difficult test, particularly on home soil, but Leeds will head south knowing that they have already shown they can compete at this level.
Now the supporters will simply be hoping that Saturday’s biggest talking point is the football — rather than Stuart Attwell.
Nafisa
