Leeds boss Daniel Farke admitted he will “enjoy it a little bit” after his side’s 2-0 win against Millwall sent them top of the Sky Bet Championship for the first time this season.
Willy Gnonto’s brilliant first-half opener sent Leeds on their way at Elland Road, but they were forced to work hard for their second goal, scored by substitute Dan James in the closing stages.
Farke said: “First of all you’ve got to enjoy it a little bit because if you don’t enjoy such a moment then you’ll ask yourself one day why are you doing all this hard work?
“So when there’s a time like right now you have to enjoy it a little bit, but also make sure we stay on it because it’s a tight race. It’s not important where you are after 38 games.”
James’ effort lifted Leeds above long-time leaders Leicester on goal difference as the Yorkshire club extended their unbeaten league run this year to 13 matches. They are also unbeaten in 19 home league games this season.
“I won’t fall into the trap and say right now we have the best momentum,” Farke said. “Obviously we’re in perfect shape and have won many points.
“But it’s a tight race. The teams are more or less on the same base, just a few points are between them.
“I’m sure Leicester will win some points in their game in hand and then they have the best possible option.”
Leeds were 17 points adrift of Leicester at the end of December and Farke added: “If I’m honest I didn’t think too much about it because I was more concentrated on us.
“But a quality side like Leicester, with their consistency, if I’d have thought about it I would have said ‘no, it’s not realistic to reach them’. But they still have the best situation.”
Millwall had dropped only two points in four unbeaten matches since Neil Harris returned for his second spell in charge in February and he had few complaints about his side or the result at Elland Road.
Harris said: “Leeds deserved to win the game, there’s no debating that for me, but I thought some elements of our performance were very good.
“People will look at the (Gnonto) goal and say ‘what a brilliant strike’. But we don’t win the first ball, the second ball or the third ball. That’s not what Millwall teams do. We don’t do that.
“And the second goal I just thought the stadium was getting a bit nervy, we were the better team for 10 minutes, and then we give another really poor goal away from another restart and that’s my only disappointment today.”
