341 reasons why Daniel Farke remains Leeds United's best hope of Premier League redemption

There has been no knee-jerk reaction at Leeds United to the hammer blow which was the play-off final defeat. While the result means there will have to be some recalibration at Elland Road, especially when it comes to finances, the end goal remains the same.

Gone are the days when it felt like Leeds lurched from one crisis to the next. Instead, while there may be some choppy waters ahead in the coming weeks and months of the summer transfer window, it feels as though there is a steady hand on the tiller to guide the club to calmer waters again.

United thought long and hard about their next managerial appointment following relegation from the Premier League in 2023 before putting their faith in Daniel Farke. Promotion was the only and only target for the German, but while that was not achieved, it's difficult to say an awful lot went wrong.

READ MORE: Leeds stand firm on Summerville value as Liverpool and Chelsea mistake made

READ MORE: £20m sale, Premier League loan, promotion role - Jack Harrison's Leeds United future decided

Leeds racked up 90 points after all - surely enough to clinch automatic promotion in any other season - stormed to the play-off final with a resounding 4-0 success over sixth-placed Norwich City, and boasted the Championship's player of the year in Crysencio Summerville. Yes, there was an alarming wobble at a crucial time as the season reached its climax, but no different to ones suffered by Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton at various stages.

As the Whites prepare for their next assault on the top two, Farke will face a new set of challenges and, in particular, three relegated sides looking to do what Leeds couldn't quite manage and return to the top flight at the first time of asking. He would have also noted some emerging managers last season who gave strong indications that they had the ability to spring some surprises.

However, a quick glance at the stats is all you need to show why Leeds remain confident they have the right man in charge. No one in the division next season will have a better points per match average in the Championship than Farke's.

He has managed 184 games in the league with Leeds and Norwich, notching 98 wins and accumulating 341 points along the way. Only Coventry's Mark Robins can top his games, but the Sky Blues' boss has 436 Championship points to his name in 333 games comes in at an average of 'just' 1.31 per match.

There are a few other veterans of the division on the scene next year, but again Farke fares better in any comparison. Chris Wilder has enjoyed success with Sheffield United, but his 143 games in the league produce a points per game of 1.59, while former Leeds coach Carlos Corberan's time at West Brom and Huddersfield has seen 1.54 points per game from 168 matches.

Some, of course, have only been on the scene for a short period of time, so while Farke towers above the likes of Marti Cifuentes and Danny Rohl in terms of games played, the new men on the block revived the fortunes QPR and Sheffield Wednesday respecitvely. However, both Cifuentes (1.5) and Rohl (1.45) have a much lower points per match average.

And what of the young bucks carving out a name for themselves? Rob Edwards only had 37 games in charge of Luton before guiding them to the Premier League with an impressive 1.76 points per match, still below Farke's, while Michael Carrick's 76 games in charge at Middlesbrough have brought 38 wins and 127 points - at an average of 1.67ppm.

There are some roles still to be filled, with promotion favourites Burnley yet to officially replace Vincent Kompany and Sunderland still looking for a permanent replacement for Michael Beale following his sacking in February. But whoever is in the opposing dugout, there is every reason to think Farke will have the upper hand.

All he has to do is continue to translate that into points won on the pitch . . . and Leeds United fans could be celebrating come next May.