Leeds United boss Daniel Farke achieves career first as Whites man wins latest award for Elland Road work

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has been recognised by the EFL for a second time this season in being named Championship Manager of the Month for January. Farke's men went unbeaten throughout the first month of 2024 and are yet to taste defeat since the turn of the year, having beaten Birmingham City, Cardiff City, Preston North End and Norwich City in the league last month.

Farke's January also featured a win against Peterborough United in the FA Cup Third Round, as well as a 1-1 draw at home to Plymouth Argyle in the Fourth Round - a tie Leeds would go on to win 4-1 after extra time earlier this week. The German was also named Manager of the Month for November when Leeds defeated Leicester City, Plymouth and Swansea City. This time around, though, Leeds presided over a 100 per cent league record throughout January conceding just once in the process.

The Manager of the Month judging panel was made up by former Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman, and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies, who decided on Farke ahead of Ian Foster (Plymouth), Russell Martin (Southampton) and Mark Robins (Coventry City). This season is the first in which Farke has won Manager of the Month twice in the same campaign, having only previously had the honour bestowed upon him in November 2018, during his time at Carrow Road.

Farke said: “We’ve had a brilliant start to 2024 and I would like to thank all of my players and staff for their dedication, everyone has worked so hard and it really is a team effort. To win every game in the Championship in January is a really good achievement and we now need to keep on going in the same manner.”

Leeds winger Dan James was also up for Player of the Month owing to his performances on the pitch last month, but was beaten to the award by Plymouth's Morgan Whittaker, who attracted interest from a handful of Italian Serie A clubs during the January transfer window. United remain in the hunt for automatic promotion and have closed the gap on the likes of Ipswich Town and Southampton recently with their form in the New Year.