As, partway though the first half, the home supporters launched into a chorus of “Daniel, Daniel Farke,” a little smile played across the face of the Leeds manager as he offered a polite wave in return.
Up in the directors’ box, Paraag Marathe looked on inscrutably. If, and it remains quite a big if, he really is considering sacking Farke, the club’s chairman – who, perhaps significantly pulled out of a planned pre-match television interview at the last minute – must surely be having second thoughts after this.
Win at Plymouth on Saturday and Farke’s formidably impressive Leeds will finish the season on 100 points and, due to their superior goal difference, clinch the Championship title. All kaleidoscopic passing and movement, they simply steamrollered Bristol City into submission and the visiting manager, Liam Manning, can only hope that a defeat that could have been considerably heavier does not exert too much psychological damage at a vital moment.
Although City are well placed to finish in the top six, they may still need to beat Preston at Ashton Gate on Saturday to secure a playoff semi-final against Sheffield United or, more probably, Sunderland. Manning’s players did not have a shot of any description until the 75th minute here.
Given Farke’s achievement in securing a top-two place last week despite losing three of his best players in a £140m fire sale last summer, reports that he could be about to be sacked seem absurd. Although the manager is due to meet with Marathe this week to “discuss the future”, club sources claim it is all part of a routine end of season review and nothing out of the ordinary.
Whatever the precise truth – given that the stories have not emerged from thin air it seems someone, somewhere clearly has an agenda –the club’s owners, the San Francisco-based 49ers Enterprises, are surely misguided if they really believe they can get a better manager? Do they not appreciate just how good Farke is?
Interestingly, Angus Kinnear, the outgoing Everton-bound Leeds chief executive penned an ode to the German in Monday’s match programme. “I want to congratulate Daniel on an almost immaculate season,” he wrote. “This club needs a leader with broad shoulders, strong principles and unshakeable belief if it is to be successful. I don’t believe we could have a better leader.”
Farke himself remained characteristically poised before kick-off, telling a television interviewer: “It’s not my topic … I just recommend you don’t believe everything you read in a newspaper.”
Afterwards, still soaked in the champagne his players had sprayed over him at the final whistle, he proved similarly diplomatic. “Right now it’s just about celebrating this special day,” said Farke. “I’m not worried about myself, I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved. I signed a long term contract here and the next step is to establish this side in the Premier League.”
Earlier, dressed in his trademark black parka, Farke took his place in the home dugout on an unusually warm late April evening, the ground turned into a sea of twirling yellow scarves as the stadium rocked to a raucously rousing rendition of the club anthem “Marching on Together”.
Five years ago when Leeds were last promoted to the Premier League, the Covid pandemic dictated that locals were denied their party. They certainly made up for it here and a City team penned into their own half and struggling to string two passes together proved perfectly obliging guests.
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With the once again excellent right-back Jayden Bogle rampaging forward and the outstanding Japan central midfielder Ao Tanaka integral to much glorious movement, the ever dangerous Manor Solomon swiftly swept the ball into the back of the net.
Although that effort was disallowed as Joël Piroe had strayed offside, Tanaka soon half-volleyed Solomon’s clever looping cross beyond Max O’Leary.
Sunderland, watching from a training camp in Portugal, may have been encouraged to note that Tanaka was unmarked. City mark zonally but that system failed here.
O’Leary initially kept them in the game, with the best of several fine saves denying Solomon. Leeds though monopolised possession and doubled their lead when Wilfried Gnonto ran onto Piroe’s superb through ball and expertly lifted his shot over the advancing O’Leary.
By way of emphasising that 30 points separate these sides, substitute Largie Ramazani scored the third with his first touch after meeting a ball from Junior Firpo as perfectly calibrated as Leeds performance.
When Ramazani controlled Ilia Gruev’s through pass and whipped a stoppage-time fourth past O’Leary Elland Road offered Farke a standing ovation. Over to you Mr Marathe.
