Leeds United: Daniel Farke reacts to Mateo Joseph talk | OneFootball

Following a 3-1 victory over Yorkshire rivals Hull City on Easter Monday, Leeds United sit second in the Championship table, one point behind Ipswich Town with six games remaining.

However, Daniel Farke's men are also just one point above third place Leicester City, who have a game in hand over the Whites, so it is still possible for the West Yorkshire outfit to miss out on automatic promotion despite their resurgent form of late.

In recent weeks, 20-year-old Mateo Joseph has come into the fold for Farke's side, and scored an 85th minute equaliser, as the Whites salvaged a 2-2 draw against Watford at Vicarage Road on Good Friday.

The starlet announced himself on the big stage in February, as he scored a brace in a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round tie at Stamford Bridge.

Following Joseph's impressive form, there have been calls for Farke to put the Spain Under-21 international in his starting 11 against play-off chasers Coventry City as the Whites battle for promotion.

As reported via X by BBC Sport's Adam Pope, Farke told the press on Thursday afternoon: "It's important we're not driven by emotions and put too much weight of promotion on young shoulders.

"He has affected the game so far, and it's good to have this player.

"It's also important to have experienced players on the pitch like Patrick (Bamford)."

The Whites' clash with the Sky Blues on Saturday carries serious ramifications for both the battle for the top-six, and the race for automatic promotion.

While Leeds are potentially six games away from an immediate Premier League return, the Sky Blues are just four points behind the play-off places and have seven games remaining.

Although the Whites have not lost a single Championship game in 2024, Mark Robins' men pose a difficult challenge on Saturday, while their remarkable run to the FA Cup semi-finals has demonstrated their ability to pull off a surprise.

It is clear to see why Farke believes that Saturday's key fixture would be a high pressure scenario for a youngster such as Joseph to deal with, but supporters could be excited by the prospect of one of their starlets being given an opportunity to shine in a big game.

Whites supporters should trust Farke

The Elland Road faithful should back their manager when it comes to difficult decisions, such as whether to put Joseph in the starting 11 on Saturday.

The German is a manager who knows exactly what it takes to earn promotion from the Championship, as proven when he guided Norwich City to the Championship title in both 2019 and 2021.

Furthermore, Farke has already made some difficult decisions as Whites boss, which have benefited his side, such as the way in which he dealt with the Wilfried Gnonto situation.

BBC Sport, the boss allowed Gnonto a second chance with the Elland Road outfit despite the fact that he made a transfer request back in August.

The manager's decision has proven to be the right one, as Gnonto has scored seven goals and provided teammates with two assists in 30 Championship appearances this season, despite being named in the starting lineup on just 15 occasions.

Due to Farke's expert handling of a tricky situation with the Italy international, Whites fans should place their faith in their manager regarding other tough decisions, such as whether to include Joseph in the lineup on Saturday.