Leeds forward Noah Okafor said: “We have to be brave in our hearts” when asked how his new club will avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. “I feel like I’ve been in this industry for a long time already. It’s difficult to always have confidence, but it’s the most important thing.”
Okafor, just 25, has quickly risen to prominence since joining from AC Milan in the summer. He spoke to Sky Sports from a venue in Manchester to announce the launch of Puma’s new football boots, the FUTURE 9. He wore it for his two goals this term, most notably in the 3-1 win at Wolves.
“We have to remain calm,” he continued, “and try to think about possible actions during the match. That means being fully ready as soon as the match starts.”
Leeds have climbed out of the drop zone with four points and six goals in their last two games against Chelsea and Liverpool. It’s a big reversal from the four losses that led to this result.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Leeds and Liverpool
Explosive starts are a key factor and Okafor believes starting games with such positivity will help Leeds survive. Leeds have tied for the most goals in the first 15 minutes of a game this season (5).
“When I spoke to my friends in Italy, they said that this league is very competitive and the best in the world. That’s my experience as well. You have to start strong in every game, because otherwise you won’t be able to withstand the pressure.”
Sunday, December 14th 4pm
4:30pm kickoff
Another change for Leeds in recent games has been the influence from the bench, which was lacking earlier in the season. Okafor has started nine games so far, including playing a key role in last week’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Liverpool, after which Daniel Farke introduced him in the 68th minute and all three players contributed to the score.
“Sometimes there are three games in a week, so you have to focus on the whole 90 games. With this team, you never worry.”
I’ve been scoring goals with them so that’s proof for me. They are very comfortable on my feet and that’s how I perform at my best.
Noah Okafor
There is no doubt that Leeds will have to fight to keep pace in the top flight, but Okafor is set to tackle it head-on. Leeds and Falke have ridden a “difficult wave” and are ultimately in a stronger position, with a two-point difference over West Ham in 18th place.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on track for his highest goalscoring record in over four years, and Farke’s new 3-5-2 formation means Okafor plays close to the striker, scoring in each of his last three appearances. Given Lucas Nmeka’s injury, it is likely that he will play the role again when Leeds travel to Brentford live on Super Sunday this weekend. Kickoff 4:30pm.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Leeds United and Chelsea
“Soccer is all about confidence. If you don’t go out and feel like you’re playing in the street with your friends, if you put too much pressure on yourself, it won’t work. If you have a team, fans, and coach who believe in you, you can play with a smile on your face. That’s the kind of player I am.”
There is no doubt that Leeds’ away form needs to improve. This has been their Achilles heel so far this season and Brentford’s resolve will be tested once again after winning their last three home games. In fact, only three teams have a better home record than the Bees.
Okafor has scored twice for Leeds since joining from Serie A in the summer.
“We can improve in any situation,” says the Swiss international. “This is football. When you lose or things go wrong, you have to learn and you have to be critical. That’s the best way to succeed. Even if it’s one percent every day, it will help you a lot in the future. As long as you believe, you don’t have to worry.”
“It’s important to be unpredictable. We want to take away the opponent’s strengths,” Falke said at Friday’s press conference. And Brentford have plenty of weapons, even though they come into this game on the back of consecutive defeats under manager Keith Andrews.
Leeds should be ready to take advantage of that given their recent progress in the opposite direction. Asked how his special ability to play a variety of offensive roles will help, Okafor concluded, “This is a team game, but I’m working in a good way to keep this team in the league.”
Watch Brentford v Leeds live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday. Kickoff 4:30pm.
Noah Okafor spoke at the PUMA Future Flow House event in Manchester to celebrate the launch of the now available PUMA Future 9.
