Daniel Farke is not yet ready to celebrate Premier League safety after his side’s 3-1 home win against already-relegated Burnley lifted them nine points clear of the bottom three.
Anton Stach’s superb early opener and second-half efforts from Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin lifted Leeds up to 14th place on 43 points and despite Loum Tchaouna’s consolation for Burnley, Farke’s side extended their unbeaten league run to six matches.
Farke said: “We will just celebrate once it’s mathematically done, 43 points is good but I don’t want to stop on 43 points.
“I don’t see why we should stop right now. To just think, ‘hopefully it’s enough’, because we’re in such a good shape and are delivering so many good performances.
“I said before the game we have 12 points to fight for. Right now, we have the first three under our belts and we want to win the following nine.”
Leeds struck twice in four minutes early in the second half through Okafor and Calvert-Lewin to kill the game as they bounced back from Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley against Chelsea.
“I’m just proud of my players and have to give them so many compliments because to live in such a pressure period and deliver in your last four Premier League games 10 points, and six (games) unbeaten,” Farke added.
“And we also had a historical cup run where we also concentrated in important games.
“It feels amazing. And also to keep in mind how many key players were out in these games. Joe Rodon missed a lot, Anton Stach, Jaka (Bijol), Noak Okafor right now with problems.
“The mentality, work ethic, unity and the spirit in the dressing room is really second to none. I’m just so proud of what they are delivering at the moment.”
Burnley’s relegation was confirmed after last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City and they parted company with manager Scott Parker by mutual consent on Thursday.
Burnley’s interim manager Mike Jackson said he had not given any thought to putting himself in contention to replace Parker permanently.
Jackson said: “I’m not trying to be disrespectful to you. It’s just something that hasn’t even been been mentioned.
“I was literally told on (Thursday) morning, to try and prep a team to come to Leeds and that’s been my sole focus.”
Burnley slipped to a fifth straight league defeat and have won only one of their last 25 in the top flight.
“I knew this game could probably go one or two ways with what’s happened in the last 24 hours,” Jackson added.
“It’s been a big shock to the group, in terms of Scott leaving and the relationship he had with the players, and I think it knocked them a bit.
“I think the big thing for me with Scott leaving is he was a really close friend and a guy who handled himself unbelievably throughout the year.
“His dignity and the way he has handled himself, I’ve got full admiration for that.”
