Leeds United

Considering it was matchday on the morning of an important Premier League clash with Sunderland Pete Lowy was surprisingly relaxed. The club director and investor is an avid supporter who admitted to us he still finds seeing the green of the Elland Road pitch magical and how he loves to arrive early and sit in the empty stadium.

Lowy, the Principle of the Lowy Family Group (the family who founded and built Westfield), was at ease in the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast studio talking at length about his passion not only for Leeds United but the redevelopment of the stadium and the importance of the government's support for the mass transit project in helping connect the ground and surrounding area to the city centre. Lowy revealed £10-£20m has already been committed to improving the ground and how a huge effort is ongoing to regenerate the South Leeds area which is severely under served.

"The real key is that we're working with local government and the national government and it is that their job is to invest in the infrastructure," Lowy told us.

"If they invest in the infrastructure and put in the tram, light rail, whatever you want to call it, then as developers, we can invest capital to develop that part of the city."

As for the football he was adamant that the club was in a healthy financial position with regards to PSR and although it was too early to discuss Daniel Farke's future he admitted that the manager's credentials to work effectively in the Premier League were not in question, stating emphatically: "What more does he have to prove?"

Oh, and come the day another season in the top flight is secured, without any guarantees just yet he warned, he told supporters the drinks are on him. "Let's pick the game where we know we're staying up in the Premier League and the pub's on me," said Lowy.

Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet in discussion with Peter Lowy

Leeds United board member Peter Lowy has been talking to the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team about the expansion of Elland Road: "We've spent somewhere between £10m and £20m already, probably closer to £20m.

"I would like to say that our work with the city has been fantastic. Historically, the relationship between the club and the city hasn't been that great, especially when the club went in administration.

"We came along and we got approval to do a whole renovation and an expansion of the stadium in two and a half years. That is a fantastic job between the city and ourselves."

He also talks about expanding capacity to 47,000 initially, then 53,000, as well as the public transport options they are working on and why revenue is critical to Leeds United prospering.

You can hear more of his chat below or on BBC Sounds here

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Leeds United board member and major investor Peter Lowy told the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast: "The club has this skill set and the ability to pick out players other clubs don't see and help bring them back to the player they were."

He also praises Daniel Farke for getting players like Wilfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson onboard - and speaks positively about Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

"Daniel has an incredible man-management ability," explains Lowy.

"The team we have saw Calvert-Lewin's ability. When we talked about it, we thought the risk was minimal and the upside was huge."

You can hear more of his chat below or on BBC Sounds here

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We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Leeds and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Leeds fans:

Mark: I don't think i've seen such a dreadful spectacle of the dark arts. Sunderland were shocking. Farke needs to get a grip of the first half malarkey, he took way to long to make the changes. Tanaka and Gnonto should've started. The players arnt the best and need more time on the pitch to make the desired impact. He failed us last night, badly!

Clan: I can't understand why we didn't start the game with the same intensity as the last 10 minutes??? We shelled Manchester city but looked toothless and bereft of ideas against Sunderland. We seem determined to engage with the carnage of a relegation battle! A good review of the management structure is needed sooner rather than later.

Mel: Leeds seemed set up to lose rather than going out to win. The pay was slow, tedious and lacked creativity which resulted in poor opportunities to score. Quality was missing when needed.

Bill: Leeds had a lot of the ball but didn't really create anything of sorts, so overall Sunderland brilliant defence outshone a poor Leeds attack and for me deserved the points.

Sunderland fans:

Mark: Sunderland were there for the taking. Unfortunately Daniel Farke didn't react fast enough. Poor display by both teams with Sunderland applying the dark arts, that's why there was 12 minutes added on. Officials really need to get a grip of it.

Chris: This win says everything about Sunderland's team spirit and character not pretty but job done .Forty points achieved let's push on now and enjoy rest of the season.

Neil: Sometimes you've just got to be pragmatic about such a match at such a time in the season. With the 40 point goal achieved now is the time to push on, play 442 and show our other strengths. We can do more than hit teams on the break whilst stoicly defending like tigers. Ugly has its time and place but now let's aim higher. Fortunately Leeds didn't have the quality to get through us. Time to express ourselves.

David: It was ugly. There was little quality. Even the penalty, our one shot on target, was poor. But overall, funnily enough, it was magnificent. A bodies on the line, backs to the wall, battling performance, with two crucial VAR decisions going our way. Fortune does indeed favour the brave.

What does the future hold for Daniel Farke, with the Leeds boss out of contract at the end of next season.

Leeds United director and large investor Peter Lowy says there is not yet a discussion to have.

Lowy sat down with the team at Don't Go To Bed Just Yet.

You can listen to a clip below or on BBC Sounds here

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Leeds United director and large investor Peter Lowy has explained how returning the Whites to their "DNA" has proven a pivotal step for the club's owners.

Lowy sat down with the team at BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast to discuss his path to being involved with the club, his hopes for its future and routes to improving the Whites' status.

"The first thing we did when we invested and then when we took over from Andrea [Radrizzani] is we did a survey of most of the professionals in the club and we discussed what sort of football do we want to play," Lowy explained.

"Because before you invest, before you get a manager, before you go and buy players, you have to work out what sort of football club do you want. And I have this theory - and I'm sure everyone's going to disagree with me and tell me I come from a world that doesn't really exist - but I believe football clubs have a DNA to them.

"And the DNA for Leeds was set by Don Revie in the 60s and the teams which Eddie [Gray] was on and Billy Bremner was on and Jack Charlton was on. And I remember watching that team.

"And one of the things that we wanted to do was bring that DNA back to the club. Because I believe when a football club goes away from its DNA that was set long before we ever got around here, that's when they start to get in trouble."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds will be "frustrated" in how they fell to defeat by Sunderland after VAR "let itself down", says former striker Jermaine Beckford.

The Whites suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss at home on Tuesday night after the Black Cats' Habib Diarra scored the winner from the penalty spot in the second half following a VAR review of a Ethan Ampadu handball.

However, Leeds themselves were earlier denied what they felt was a penalty after Luke O'Nien's challenge on Pascal Struijk in the box.

Boss Daniel Farke spoke about the incident after the match and said: "It's not even a question. What was VAR doing? It's tough to understand how this is not checked. If the referee watched it back he would say all day long it's a penalty. It's more for VAR, it's difficult for the referee to see."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Beckford added: "Leeds will be really frustrated because of the manner in which they lost the game. They had a great opportunity.

"They should have been given a penalty. I don't know what happened. You can't blame the referee for missing the incident because during a set-piece or corner, whatever goes on in the penalty box is really difficult to keep an eye on, but VAR is where it let itself down.

"They are supposed to pick up on the points the referee misses. When you watch the first replay back, it is clear something has happened. O'Nien put his arms around the neck of Struijk - clear as day penalty but no VAR check.

"Then they came out not long after and gave an embarrassing reason as to why they missed it, something about not being clear and obvious. I can't remember the wording exactly, but it was really silly."

The Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team have conducted a lengthy interview with Peter Lowy, Leeds United director and large investor.

In it, he discusses how and why he became involved in the club in 2023.

"There were two main reasons I invested in the club," explains Lowy.

"One was because of what happened when the club went into administration, it never had the investment that the club should have for a club in the city and the size of Leeds.

"By the time we got there, it was the only big franchise left in England that had any value in it.

"We had no interest in buying Chelsea for £2.5bn, no offence to the buyers or seller, I just didn't see the value in it for us.

"But when you look at Leeds, because of the difficulty the club has had, you had a fantastic franchise and an incredible football club that was totally under-invested in."

You can hear more of his chat below or on BBC Sounds here

The Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team have conducted a lengthy interview with Peter Lowy, Leeds United director and large investor.

In it, he discusses investing in the club, expanding Elland Road and his childhood love for the Whites.

"I've been a fan since I was a kid and it was hard to be a fan of English football and all leagues living in Australia in the 60s and 70s as we didn't have satellites so you couldn't watch the games," he explained.

"In fact Match of the Day used to be filmed, put on a Qantas flight, sent to Australia so you get to see it there next week. But I fell in love with English football.

"First memory of Leeds was the Revie teams and then the white kit with the smiley badge. When we brought the smiley badge back, it just evokes a feeling of the team and the football that is just inside me. And the way you look at it, I am in love with football and in love with the team and to be in the position I'm in now, it's almost hard to imagine that I could get here."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here

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The latest episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet sees an interview with Leeds United director Peter Lowy.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

We will also be bringing you several video clips and some of the best bits this morning.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke speaking to TNT Sports after the 1-0 defeat by Sunderland: "If you lose a home game when you are so dominant, you don't allow the opponent one chance and you lose, it's disappointing and frustrating."

On the decisions against his side: "Football is sometimes like this. The whole stadium was exploding. One minute later it was not even a chance for them, an instinctive reaction from my most important and best player gave away a penalty. It's not necessary. It's written in the stars. The opponent sits in the dressing room and can't really explain why they won it and you are struggling to explain why you lost."

On the Pascal Struijk penalty appeal: "It's not even a question. What was VAR doing? It's tough to understand how this is not checked. If the referee watched it back he would say all day long it's a penalty. It's more for VAR, it's difficult for the referee to see."

On what was missing: "Clarity in the final third. This is what we have to add. Performance-wise, what we have invested, we can't complain. We are always self-critical. You need to get the ball into the net. This is what we need to improve."

You can listen to more from Farke on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Leeds have suffered back-to back Premier League home defeats (also losing 1-0 to Manchester City) for the first time since April 2023, when they lost 5-1 to Crystal Palace and 6-1 to Liverpool.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The defeat by Sunderland was frustrating for Leeds in more ways than one.

Firstly there was the result, which could leave them just three points above the drop zone by the end of the week if results elsewhere go against them.

Secondly was their annoyance with the officiating, with the home fans clearly aggrieved at what they felt was Sunderland time-wasting from early on, and a perceived lack of action against that.

But, ultimately, the home side did not do enough in a game that provided a golden opportunity for them to take a huge step towards securing another season of top-flight football.

They had just four of 18 shots on target and did not test Sunderland's debutant keeper Melker Ellborg enough.

Joe Rodon's disallowed effort was a big turning point, and boss Daniel Farke made a raft of attacking changes near the end, but the visiting defence held firm.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Leeds' performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Leeds boss Daniel Farke names an unchanged side for the visit of Sunderland.

Leeds XI: Darlow, Justin, Struijk, Rodon, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Gruev, Bogle, Aaronson, Stach, Calvert-Lewin.

There are three changes for Sunderland. Melker Ellborg comes into goal while Luke O'Nien, and Nilson Angulo also start.

Sunderland XI: Ellborg, Alderete, Ballard, O'Nien, Hume, Sadiki, Diarra, Angulo, Geertruida, Le Fee, Mayenda.

Image source, Getty Images

The Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team have been responding to listener emails.

One listener - Howard - is worried complacency may slip in later in the campaign.

BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope said: "I don't think there'll be any complacency from the squad and Farke.

"I think Howard may have something that we sit here and say 'should beat Wolves at home or Burnley'. But I don't think there's any worries of complacency in the camp."

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "The way Leeds have been built, one of the things is the team spirit. I think that's what we want - togetherness, tenacious, aggressive in the tackle and full effort. That's what Daniel Farke wants and what we're getting.

"Leeds have officially had the toughest fixtures so far. Of the top seven, we only have Manchester United away left. The bottom sides, Wolves at home, maybe that's more difficult than it seems."

Listen to the full episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet on BBC Sounds

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Molly Whitmore
Fan writer

Against one of the best sides in world football, and somehow they still made us believe.

There is always something about Elland Road under the lights, and from the first whistle you could feel it again. Recent night games have brought momentum and belief, and even with Manchester City in town, there was no sense of fear in the stands or on the pitch. Respect, yes. But not fear.

The opening spell summed that up perfectly. We came flying out and asked real questions. Dominic Calvert-Lewin set the tone early on. That first chance will haunt him because he knows it should have hit the net, but the run itself was top class. Power, intent, and a willingness to take on elite defenders. With World Cup conversations starting to bubble away, you cannot help but feel he deserves to be in the mix. From a selfish point of view you would love to keep him at bay from any injury, and there are three more obvious names that will more then likely travel to the US, but it's not to say it's not deserving.

There were other moments too that showed just how competitive this side has become. Gruev's strike had the ground holding its breath, and then came the Aaronson chance. The frustration there was real because he actually had more time than he realised. At this level, those half-seconds matter. The right decision and it could have been a very different night.

And that is what makes the result sting. Not disappointment in the performance, but the feeling that something was there to take. A point would have felt deserved. Three would not have been outrageous. Yet even in defeat, there was perspective. When you look at the results around us and the way we are trending, this is not a team fading into the bottom three. It is a group growing into itself at exactly the right time.

That said, the nerves are never too far away. Seeing Spurs and West Ham looming in the final fixtures still brings that familiar knot in the stomach. We have seen too many dramatic finishes over the years, and it is hard not to brace ourselves for another one.

Attention now turns to Tuesday and what feels like a pivotal night against Sunderland. On paper it is more winnable, but games like this often carry more pressure. Sunderland have shown signs of life again and will not make it easy. Still, being back under the lights at Elland Road feels significant. These are the moments that define survival pushes.

There are a few concerns going into it. The possible Rodon knock is one. The other is the absence of Daniel Farke after his red card on Saturday, which means he will be watching from the stands rather than the touchline. That is where Eddie Riemer suddenly becomes even more important. Hearing him speak afterwards was reassuring. He came across calm and clear, and with him likely taking on a bigger presence from the sidelines, that composure could matter.

Ultimately, this performance felt like another step forward. Not a night for despair, but one that quietly builds belief. If we bring the same intensity on Tuesday, the opportunity is there to take a huge stride towards safety.

Under the lights, with the crowd behind us, you would not back against us. MOT.

Molly Whitmore is a regular contributor on BBC Radio Leeds - find all their audio here

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

This is the first Premier League meeting between Leeds and Sunderland at Elland Road since August 2002, which the visitors won 1-0.

Leeds will kick-off six points behind their fellow promoted opponents, and six points above the bottom three with 10 games remaining.

Improved Leeds still leaking goals

When Leeds lost all four of their matches in November to drop into the relegation zone, few would have predicted they would only suffer three further defeats across the ensuing three months.

Those losses, spanning 15 games, have come against Champions League sides Newcastle, Arsenal and, on Saturday, Manchester City. Leeds' tally of 20 points during that period ranks them 10th in the division, just a point behind Chelsea.

Nonetheless, there is work to do to stay in the division. Notably, Daniel Farke's side have the worst defensive record outside the current bottom three, conceding 47 goals and only keeping two clean sheets in their past 25 top-flight matches.

That is despite making the fewest errors leading to shots (14) of any team in the Premier League and only facing the eighth-highest number of shots.

One statistic overwhelmingly in Leeds' favour is their home record in night-time fixtures. Though they lost their 5.30pm kick-off against Manchester City at the weekend, the Whites are unbeaten at Elland Road in 22 league games starting at 7pm or later since April 2023. They have won 19 of those, including the past 13 by an aggregate score of 33-7.

Beware the slides of March

Sunderland's season is on a downward trajectory; they earned 17 points from their first nine matches to briefly go second in the table, but have since only added 20 points from 19 fixtures.

They have won just two of their past 12 league games, but did at least stop a run of three straight defeats by drawing away to in-form Bournemouth on Saturday.

No team has been relegated with Sunderland's current tally of 37 points or more since Newcastle a decade ago. Nonetheless, the Black Cats would welcome a change of luck in March as they seek to end runs of nine Premier League away games, and as many midweek matches, without a win.

Perhaps most disconcerting for Sunderland is that they are winless in 17 top-flight games played in the month of March since beating QPR 3-1 in 2012 (D9, L8). In Premier League history, only Leicester City and Fulham have endured longer winless streaks in a particular month.

This is a big game for Leeds. They are six points above the relegation zone with 10 games to go, but have still got work to do.

I've been impressed by Daniel Farke's side recently, but they still rely a lot on their home form - they have picked up 22 points from 14 games at Elland Road compared to nine from 14 on the road - so it feels like they need to win this.

Sunderland have not won in four league games but I'm not reading too much into that - Granit Xhaka's return from injury made a difference against Bournemouth on Saturday, and a draw was a good result for them.

This is going to be close but Leeds like playing under the lights - they pushed Manchester City all the way on Saturday evening, and this time I think it is them who will edge it.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

The team on Don't Go To bed Just Yet have been working through emails on the booing of Saturday's in-game break of play to allow players to break their fast during Ramadan.

Messages from listeners have pointed to some confusion inside Elland Road, with some fans frustrated Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola used the pause to coach his side after a fine start by their hosts.

BBC Radio Leeds commentator Adam Pope said: "When you have your headphones on, you can't hear anything but you could hear the boos. It was loud. Definitely there were those booing who won't tolerate having a break for those observing Ramadan and breaking a fast.

"Over the weekend we have had people message or we have asked and there were those who told me there was some really horrible stuff being said. I think there were those also who were completely confused by what was going on and why there was a break. And then there were those who were really annoyed that Pep used it to have a full team talk with all of the players, not just those breaking their fast.

"I think there were three elements. It depends where you were in the ground as to which of those three were loudest."

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix told the podcast: "On TV, the booing was loud. So I can see why people would think it was not a good look. People we know and go with wouldn't be booing because it was Ramadan. But there probably are some people who were booing for that reason. I follow Leeds quite closely and I didn't know what the break was for before they started it. I feel it's been jumped on as a thing that is entirely negative.

"I've been in the stadium when people have been booed taking the knee. I think it's bad people boo lots of stuff they boo. But I don't think it was unanimously that. I think there was some element of confusion."

Listen on BBC Sounds here

Leeds United were narrowly beaten by Manchester City in the Premier League, in a game with a lot of talking points. Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix reflect on that defeat and preview the visit of Sunderland.

Get episode 196 of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet below or on BBC Sounds here

This week there are three episodes. On Wednesday, the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team have an exclusive interview lined up and on Friday there'll be a weekend preview.

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