Lucas Radebe’s Full-Time Delight and Daniel Farke’s Emotion: Leeds United Moments You May Have Missed

It has been a week Leeds United supporters will remember for a long time. Following a determined second-half display against Manchester City, the Whites recorded an impressive 3–1 victory over Chelsea before a dramatic 3–3 draw with Liverpool capped off an unforgettable run of fixtures.

The post-match headlines were dominated by Mohamed Salah, who delivered a fiery interview in the Elland Road mixed zone, hinting that he may have played his final match for Liverpool.
Welcome to the Premier League. Welcome to Leeds — one of football’s greatest theatres.

The atmosphere reached fever pitch deep into stoppage time on Saturday night when Ao Tanaka’s late strike sent Elland Road into scenes of unrestrained celebration. Here are some key moments from the match that many might have missed:

Farke Wore Every Emotion

Daniel Farke described the encounter as “crazy”, and even for a manager known for his controlled touchline demeanour, his emotions reflected the chaos unfolding on the pitch.

When Anton Stach levelled the score at 2–2, Farke let out a rare show of joy by punching the air. Moments later, however, he was in a fury after Liverpool reclaimed the lead. After the match, he explained the reason behind his agitation:

“Ao [Tanaka], later on with the equaliser — I was a bit furious with him because he stepped out of our deep block and opened our structure slightly.”

Despite this, Farke went on to praise Tanaka warmly, describing him as a “great guy”. Earlier in the match, while warming up, Tanaka had been spotted watching the action from the side of the pitch — even when play advanced into his zone. His late equaliser sent both the bench and the stadium into raptures.

Full-Time Joy Across Elland Road

The scenes at full-time were euphoric. Though the match finished level, it felt very much like a victory for Leeds — and every point is vital in this league.

Farke deliberately held back during the lap of appreciation, giving his players the spotlight as they applauded supporters. Moments earlier, he had embraced Tanaka and appeared to share an extended chat, likely discussing the mix of frustration and relief surrounding the third goal conceded.

Among the crowd was a familiar and beloved face. Leeds legend Lucas Radebe, in Leeds with the Kaizer Chiefs Under-21 side, had attended the Chelsea match earlier in the week and also joined a club dinner honouring the campaign to erect a statue of former manager Howard Wilkinson.

After the final whistle, Radebe was spotted high-fiving supporters from the directors’ box, matching their joy with a wide smile.

Pre-Match Observations

Before kick-off, there were several light-hearted and notable moments:

• Sebastiaan Bornauw was seen debating the rules of the substitutes’ pre-match rondo exercise.

• A few minutes later, Wilfried Gnonto cheekily kicked a ball towards one of the coaches leading the warm-up drill.

• Under scrutiny for his recent distribution, Lucas Perri undertook focused work before the match, practising high catches and driving balls upfield towards a designated staff member.

Meanwhile, ground staff faced an unexpected struggle with the large matchday placard displaying both club crests for the pre-match handshakes. The weather made it impossible to keep upright, forcing two members of staff to stand behind the display to hold it steady.