Chris Sutton says he is “in love” with Daniel Farke, and Leeds go into Leeds vs Crystal Palace with more than just pundit approval. They sit third with eight points from four games, and Leeds beat Newcastle 4-1 on Monday night. Ally McCoist has joined in too, calling a home win if the crowd and tempo stay where they have been.

Leeds' strong start under Farke

Sutton’s praise was not just about the result. He said: “I think I am in love with Leeds boss Daniel Farke. What a guy,” before adding that “only idiots question whether he is the right man to move the club forward now.” That is a strong line, but it is also tied to what Leeds have done on the pitch, not just to reputation.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been central to that mood around Leeds. Sutton called him “fit, motivated and a real handful,” and his output has helped explain why Leeds have looked so hard to handle in the opening weeks. Leeds are unbeaten in the league with eight points from four matches, and that start has them third already.

Why McCoist sees another home win

McCoist pointed to the same traits when he backed Leeds: “You look at that performance against Newcastle, the momentum, the way they played that game, on the front foot, aggressive.” He then took the prediction a step further, saying, “If they keep that going, and the place is with them, that’s a 3-0 victory for me.”

That confidence is built on more than a single good night. Crystal Palace arrive with three points from 12 and 11 goals conceded, which is a rough place to be when the other side has already found its footing. Leeds have also won seven of their last eight home league meetings with Palace, scoring 16 goals, so the match-up has been kind to them before.

Palace’s own preparation has not looked especially settled, with Pierre Sage saying Ismaila Sarr was only a “maybe” to start and last 90 minutes. Sutton and McCoist may be leaning hard toward Leeds, but the numbers make the same case without much persuasion.

The main thing to watch on Sunday is whether Leeds can keep the same front-foot tempo at Elland Road. If they do, the pundit backing will look less like hype and more like a read on a side that has started quickly and kept its edge.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →