MIKE Dodds resisted any temptation to bite after Leeds United boss Daniel Farke claimed Sunderland "parked the bus", with the interim home head coach hopeful his opposition number gives the Black Cats more credit when he watches back replays of Tuesday night's game.

Leeds chief Farke did praise Sunderland's "great defensive record" but referenced the home side "parking the bus" on three separate occasions during his post-match press conference.

He also described Sunderland's match winning goal as a "coincidence" and claimed Jack Clarke could have been sent off had Crysencio Summerville hit the deck on a counter attack in the second half.

"First of all congratulations to Sunderland to a great defensive effort," said Farke.

"I think in general I'm struggling a bit to criticise my lads too much. It was clear we had a difficult away game. I think we dominated it in many periods, we had nearly 60% of possession in the first half, more than 70% in the second. We didn't find the cutting edge. In recent games we've created so many chances and scored so many goals. Today when it came to play the final pass we were not tidy enough or sharp enough.

"They changed their formation to a 5-3-2 and even their strikers had to defend the wings. They tried to park the bus and counter-attack and (take advantage of) set pieces. Whenever we shot, they had bodies to block, they defended with their life. It was just one of those days when you did not find the tidiness or sharpness to be there with a chance. We did not score."

Farke mentioned Sunderland "parking the bus" on two more occasions. When those claims were put to Dodds, the interim boss carefully considered his answer, eventually saying: "I'll answer this diplomatically.

"We've taken six points from two really really strong opposition and really good coaches.

"I'm sure when he watches the game back, which I know a lot of good coaches do, he will appreciate just how good we were this evening."

On the Clarke red card claim and Sunderland's goal, Farke said: "At 0-0 in the second half Summerville goes through, if he goes down it's red card and we wait to find the goal. I like his attitude, but it was probably the wrong decision to stay on his feet.

"I liked his attitude to stay on his feet and keep going but when you watch it back it was probably the wrong decision, the keeper was able to save his effort. Cree, if he's 32 he goes down and knows it's a red. I love the young naivety to say no I want to score the goal. I love this attitude, so no harsh words.

"In the second half, I was pleased with how we defended. We did well to defend everything and I'm struggling to accuse my lads for this goal. When you're always trying to create, create and then you have to run back 70,80 yards, it's not easy. But we did it, we had lads in our box, defended the cross and Pritchard somehow bounces the ball back in for them to score.

"I've worked with Alex, a great guy, but even he can't explain how he did this. It's a coincidence and we have to accept it. It was one of those days."

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Dodds boldly changed formation for the game, switching to a back three, and he was delighted with the way his players adapted.

He said: "I thought the players executed the game plan to a tee. Before Trai cleared one off the line late on, their XG was about 0.4. For a team of their Premier League quality, to limit them to that number of chances is remarkable really.

"They've got to believe in how we wanted them to set up. When we've played against the top teams in the league, and I'm thinking of Leicester away when we turned it basically into a 1-v-1 game, that can psychologically be difficult for a player and they've got to really believe in how we set them up. Tonight they really believed in it, we've played two teams in really, really good form, both with Premier League budgets and good coaches - and I think we've given away five shots on goal. That says how well organised the players have been and how well prepared they were mentally for the game.

"I'm really pleased with the clean sheet, I was frustrated with the goal we conceded against West Brom because we'd put so much effort into the game. The clean sheet is very satisfying.

"I didn't change a huge amount on Saturday, because having done all the analysis and preparation I didn't feel like a lot needed to change to win the game. To win tonight, I felt we had to change one or two things. We had to be respectful of their threat, but also get a balance to make sure we could have a threat going the other way. That was the fight I was having in my head, how much did I want to commit high up the pitch and how much did I want to try and nullify their threat?

"I thought the balance was spot on this evening."

MIKE Dodds resisted any temptation to bite after Leeds United boss Daniel Farke claimed Sunderland "parked the bus", with the interim home head coach hopeful his opposition number gives the Black Cats more credit when he watches back replays of Tuesday night's game.

Leeds chief Farke did praise Sunderland's "great defensive record" but references the home side "parking the bus" on three separate occasions during his post-match press conference.

He also described Sunderland's match winning goal as a "coincidence" and claimed Jack Clarke could have been sent off had Crysencio Summerville hit the deck on a counter attack in the second half.

"First of all congratulations to Sunderland to a great defensive effort," said Farke.

"I think in general I'm struggling a bit to criticise my lads too much. It was clear we had a difficult away game. I think we dominated it in many periods, we had nearly 60% of possession in the first half, more than 70% in the second. We didn't find the cutting edge. In recent games we've created so many chances and scored so many goals. Today when it came to play the final pass we were not tidy enough or sharp enough.

"They changed their formation to a 5-3-2 and even their strikers had to defend the wings. They tried to park the bus and counter-attack and (take advantage of) set pieces. Whenever we shot, they had bodies to block, they defended with their life. It was just one of those days when you did not find the tidiness or sharpness to be there with a chance. We did not score."

Farke mentioned Sunderland "parking the bus" on two more occasions. When those claims were put to Dodds, the interim boss carefully considered his answer, eventually saying: "I'll answer this diplomatically.

"We've taken six points from two really really strong opposition and really good coaches.

"I'm sure when he watches the game back, which I know a lot of good coaches do, he will appreciate just how good we were this evening."

On the Clarke red card claim and Sunderland's goal, Farke said: "At 0-0 in the second half Summerville goes through, if he goes down it's red card and we wait to find the goal. I like his attitude, but it was probably the wrong decision to stay on his feet.

"I liked his attitude to stay on his feet and keep going but when you watch it back it was probably the wrong decision, the keeper was able to save his effort. Cree, if he's 32 he goes down and knows it's a red. I love the young naivety to say no I want to score the goal. I love this attitude, so no harsh words.

"In the second half, I was pleased with how we defended. We did well to defend everything and I'm struggling to accuse my lads for this goal. When you're always trying to create, create and then you have to run back 70,80 yards, it's not easy. But we did it, we had lads in our box, defended the cross and Pritchard somehow bounces the ball back in for them to score.

"I've worked with Alex, a great guy, but even he can't explain how he did this. It's a coincidence and we have to accept it. It was one of those days."

Dodds boldly changed formation for the game, switching to a back three, and he was delighted with the way his players adapted.

He said: "I thought the players executed the game plan to a tee. Before Trai cleared one off the line late on, their XG was about 0.4. For a team of their Premier League quality, to limit them to that number of chances is remarkable really.

"They've got to believe in how we wanted them to set up. When we've played against the top teams in the league, and I'm thinking of Leicester away when we turned it basically into a 1-v-1 game, that can psychologically be difficult for a player and they've got to really believe in how we set them up. Tonight they really believed in it, we've played two teams in really, really good form, both with Premier League budgets and good coaches - and I think we've given away five shots on goal. That says how well organised the players have been and how well prepared they were mentally for the game.

"I'm really pleased with the clean sheet, I was frustrated with the goal we conceded against West Brom because we'd put so much effort into the game. The clean sheet is very satisfying.

"I didn't change a huge amount on Saturday, because having done all the analysis and preparation I didn't feel like a lot needed to change to win the game. To win tonight, I felt we had to change one or two things. We had to be respectful of their threat, but also get a balance to make sure we could have a threat going the other way. That was the fight I was having in my head, how much did I want to commit high up the pitch and how much did I want to try and nullify their threat?

"I thought the balance was spot on this evening."

MIKE Dodds resisted any temptation to bite after Leeds United boss Daniel Farke claimed Sunderland "parked the bus", with the interim home head coach hopeful his opposition number gives the Black Cats more credit when he watches back replays of Tuesday night's game.

Leeds chief Farke did praise Sunderland's "great defensive record" but references the home side "parking the bus" on three separate occasions during his post-match press conference.

He also described Sunderland's match winning goal as a "coincidence" and claimed Jack Clarke could have been sent off had Crysencio Summerville hit the deck on a counter attack in the second half.

"First of all congratulations to Sunderland to a great defensive effort," said Farke.

"I think in general I'm struggling a bit to criticise my lads too much. It was clear we had a difficult away game. I think we dominated it in many periods, we had nearly 60% of possession in the first half, more than 70% in the second. We didn't find the cutting edge. In recent games we've created so many chances and scored so many goals. Today when it came to play the final pass we were not tidy enough or sharp enough.

"They changed their formation to a 5-3-2 and even their strikers had to defend the wings. They tried to park the bus and counter-attack and (take advantage of) set pieces. Whenever we shot, they had bodies to block, they defended with their life. It was just one of those days when you did not find the tidiness or sharpness to be there with a chance. We did not score."

Farke mentioned Sunderland "parking the bus" on two more occasions. When those claims were put to Dodds, the interim boss carefully considered his answer, eventually saying: "I'll answer this diplomatically.

"We've taken six points from two really really strong opposition and really good coaches.

"I'm sure when he watches the game back, which I know a lot of good coaches do, he will appreciate just how good we were this evening."

On the Clarke red card claim and Sunderland's goal, Farke said: "At 0-0 in the second half Summerville goes through, if he goes down it's red card and we wait to find the goal. I like his attitude, but it was probably the wrong decision to stay on his feet.

"I liked his attitude to stay on his feet and keep going but when you watch it back it was probably the wrong decision, the keeper was able to save his effort. Cree, if he's 32 he goes down and knows it's a red. I love the young naivety to say no I want to score the goal. I love this attitude, so no harsh words.

"In the second half, I was pleased with how we defended. We did well to defend everything and I'm struggling to accuse my lads for this goal. When you're always trying to create, create and then you have to run back 70,80 yards, it's not easy. But we did it, we had lads in our box, defended the cross and Pritchard somehow bounces the ball back in for them to score.

"I've worked with Alex, a great guy, but even he can't explain how he did this. It's a coincidence and we have to accept it. It was one of those days."

Dodds boldly changed formation for the game, switching to a back three, and he was delighted with the way his players adapted.

He said: "I thought the players executed the game plan to a tee. Before Trai cleared one off the line late on, their XG was about 0.4. For a team of their Premier League quality, to limit them to that number of chances is remarkable really.

"They've got to believe in how we wanted them to set up. When we've played against the top teams in the league, and I'm thinking of Leicester away when we turned it basically into a 1-v-1 game, that can psychologically be difficult for a player and they've got to really believe in how we set them up. Tonight they really believed in it, we've played two teams in really, really good form, both with Premier League budgets and good coaches - and I think we've given away five shots on goal. That says how well organised the players have been and how well prepared they were mentally for the game.

"I'm really pleased with the clean sheet, I was frustrated with the goal we conceded against West Brom because we'd put so much effort into the game. The clean sheet is very satisfying.

"I didn't change a huge amount on Saturday, because having done all the analysis and preparation I didn't feel like a lot needed to change to win the game. To win tonight, I felt we had to change one or two things. We had to be respectful of their threat, but also get a balance to make sure we could have a threat going the other way. That was the fight I was having in my head, how much did I want to commit high up the pitch and how much did I want to try and nullify their threat?

"I thought the balance was spot on this evening."