Micah Richards has backed Leeds United to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League this season. The former England defender highlighted the team's strong start and the relentless energy of midfielder Anton Stach as key factors in his prediction.
Leeds currently sit seventh in the league table with ten points from seven games, having lost just once. Their latest result was a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United, where Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the club's top scorer with three goals this season, equalised in the second half. The team's recent form shows they have taken eight points from the last five matches, scoring an average of 1.4 goals per game in that period.
Richards, speaking on television, singled out Stach for his immense work rate but suggested the German could add more composure to his game. "In midfield, I love Stach and his energy," Richards said. "I wish he had a little bit more composure at times." Stach leads the Premier League in distance covered this term, clocking 82.3 kilometres alongside Brentford's Vitaly Janelt.
Manager Daniel Farke echoed the feeling that his side deserved more from the Manchester United game. "I wanted to win this game and my boys as well," Farke stated. "I think you could see this also outside that for that, even in this situation, that we are even a bit disappointed that we didn't win it." He added that the performance confirmed the team's upward trajectory.
Richards believes a top-10 finish is a realistic target for Farke's team. This aligns with statistical projections, with Opta's Supercomputer predicting Leeds could finish as high as ninth. That would match their joint-best Premier League finish in the last two decades, achieved under Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds now face a tricky away trip to Sunderland on Sunday. The Black Cats are 19th and have lost four league games in a row, a situation compounded by the suspension of Kevin Danso and an injury to Dan Ballard. Leeds will be looking to capitalise and add to their points tally ahead of the international break.
With a positive goal difference of three and a solid defensive record, conceding only six times, Leeds have built a platform for the season. Their next challenge is to turn draws into wins as they aim to fulfil Richards's prediction. The team has shown resilience, coming from behind to earn points in multiple matches already.
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