Leeds United thrive after formation switch
- Published
As the nascent Premier League table takes shape, the sight of Leeds United in third place feels like a throwback to the turn of the century, when they secured five top-five finishes on the bounce.
The 4-1 home win over Newcastle United means Daniel Farke's unbeaten side have made their best start to a top-flight season since 2001-02 under David O'Leary.
In truth, with eight points from four games, Leeds have been playing well for some time - and it can all be traced back to a bold change of formation by Farke almost nine months ago.
The German switched from a back four to a back three at half-time against Manchester City on 29 November, a game in which his team battled back from 2-0 down at the break to level things at 2-2 before conceding in stoppage time.
Starting with the subsequent home win over Chelsea on 3 December, Leeds have lost only five of their past 29 league games - results which would place them fifth in the hypothetical league table for that timeframe.
While the rejig clearly had its intended effect on Leeds' defence - among the ever-present clubs in the division, only champions Arsenal, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest have conceded fewer goals since the switch - it has also helped in other areas.
The most notable beneficiary has been Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Since last December, only Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins and Joao Pedro have scored more than his 14 top-flight goals.
Having toiled as the lone centre-forward in a 4-3-3 formation, relying on infrequent support from out wide, Calvert-Lewin has thrived with a proper strike partner, often in the form of Lukas Nmecha or Noah Okafor.
Although Farke still finds himself alternating between 3-4-3 and 3-5-2, Calvert-Lewin has said: "I enjoy having bodies around me."
With Crystal Palace the visitors to Elland Road on Saturday, Calvert-Lewin is aiming to become the first Leeds player to score in six consecutive home league games since Arthur Hydes in 1932.
He missed out on a place in England's World Cup squad but, with three goals in all competitions this season, he is surely in with a chance of an international recall as Thomas Tuchel prepares for the Nations League quadruple-header.