Leeds United forward Noah Okafor continued his fine form for the club with a goal and an assist in the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Switzerland international scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night, and followed that up with another goal at the weekend.
Okafor has now scored seven goals and provided one assist in 26 appearances in the Premier League for the Whites this season, with three of those goals coming in the past two games.
The 25-year-old attacker has also provided two assists in three FA Cup matches for the club so far this season, taking his tally to seven goals and three assists in all competitions.
Leeds look to have hit the jackpot with the £18m signing from AC Milan last summer, and Daniel Farke deserves huge credit for his impressive goalscoring form.
The tactical tweak that has unlocked Noah Okafor’s form for Leeds
It is well documented by now that the German head coach turned the season around by switching from the failing 4-3-3 system to a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation, providing more defensive stability and allowing for more counter-attacking opportunities.
Prior to the change in tactics, Okafor would hug the touchline on the left wing and have to almost create chances for himself by taking players on and carrying the ball up the pitch into dangerous areas.
In 13 appearances as a left-sided attacker for Leeds this season, the Swiss whiz scored three goals and did not register any assists, which was a respectable, if not outstanding, return.
Noah Okafor this season
Stat
LW + CF
AM
Appearances
24
5
Goals
3
4
Goals per game
0.12
0.8
Assists
0
3
Assists per game
0
0.6
Farke’s tweak to play a 3-4-2-1, with Okafor as one of the two number tens behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, has unlocked his attacking potential, though, with four goals and three assists in five appearances in that position.
This tactical move has allowed the former Milan star to play closer to Calvert-Lewin and to run onto the end of passes and crosses, rather than having to create things for himself from a wide position.
Whilst Farke deserves huge credit for the way that he has turned the team’s form around and helped Okafor to enjoy a terrific month, there is a Leeds star whose form is starting to make him look rather foolish.
The Leeds United star who is starting to make Daniel Farke look foolish
Okafor has racked up three goals and two assists in April so far, which is a phenomenal return, but one of his teammates may have had an even better month.
Ao Tanaka did not start a Premier League game from the 20th December all the way through to the end of March. He was an unused substitute seven times and only played one minute on two occasions during that spell.
However, he has started all three of the club’s matches in April and has caught the eye with his phenomenal performances in the middle of the park, including the 3-0 win over Wolves.
Vs Wolves
Ao Tanaka
Minutes
89
Touches
63
Pass accuracy
91%
Key passes
4
Successful crosses
4
Duels won
4/9
Ball recoveries
5
Playing alongside Ethan Ampadu in midfield, Tanaka showed his technical quality on the ball by completing 91% of his attempted passes and creating four chances for his teammates.
The Japan international was also even more impressive than Okafor against Manchester United on Monday, because he created four chances and won three of his four ground duels, offering quality in and out of possession.
Prior to that, Tanaka impressed in midfield in the win over West Ham United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, scoring a beautifully crafted goal early on in the match.
The Japanese star, who is valued at up to £10m by Leeds, has had an even better month than Okafor because he has contributed to games defensively and offensively, whilst he also came out of the cold, with no league starts since 2025, and delivered immediately on the pitch.
His sublime performances in the last three matches as a starter have made Farke look rather foolish for not giving him more minutes in the Premier League in 2026.
The German boss deserves all the credit that will come his way for the work he has done with the squad, and with Okafor in particular, but Tanaka is a player he may look back on this season and wish that he had given more minutes to.
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