WE HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE ADMITS FARKE

Whites limp into the play-offs

- Chris Dunlavy

ANIEL Farke says Leeds cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves after a late collapse saw automatic promotion slip from their grasp. 

Seemingly set for an instant return to the Premier League after surging to the Championship summit in March, a dismal run of one win from five games had left the Whites needing to beat Southampton at Elland Road and hope Ipswich Town suffered an improbable defeat at home to Huddersfield on the final day.

It wasn’t to be, goals from Adam Armstrong and Will Smallbone capping a composed Saints display and rendering the Tractor Boys’ 2-0 win academic.

“First of all I must say congratulations to Leicester and Ipswich,” said Farke, who will face his former club Norwich City in the play-off semi-finals.

“They fully deserve to be promoted. They were the best two sides with the consistency over the course of the season and we are what we are – the third-best team on 90 points.

“Now we draw a line under this season and we go into a whole new competition which is the play-offs.