Farke on pressure, promotion and young players

Leeds United will have to wait for two of their promotion rivals to play first before they kick off their Championship fixture at Middlesbrough on Monday at 20:00 BST.

On Saturday, second-placed Leicester City host West Bromwich Albion, who are fifth and Southampton go to mid-table Coventry City. Both those sides have a game in hand on the Whites.

Current leaders Ipswich Town do not play this weekend so a point for the Foxes would take them top, while victory for the Saints would see them draw level on points with Leeds.

Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before the trip to the Riverside Stadium.

Here are the key lines:

• Connor Roberts has a muscle problem and will miss the nest two games while Jamie Shackleton will return to team training and may be fit to face Middlesbrough.

• Goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson is not injured after his car crash earlier this week and Farke added: "I don't like to comment too much on players' private lives. But I was a bit shocked and concerned and I was really happy to hear he was okay. We had a short chat [and] he explained what happened. I have no reason to doubt his words."

• Coach Christopher John is expected to miss either the match at the Riverside or the trip to QPR after the red card he received during the defeat to Blackburn Rovers

• On how much the promotion race is now about pressure: "We're heading into the crunch time period. To stay cool is obviously an important thing. But also the quality of players, a bit of luck and to be focused on what you can influence."

• However, he is not feeling pressure from the boardroom to achieve promotion: "Just backing and trust from the owners. We are in a privileged position and we want to use it. We are having a top-class season with a remarkable points tally. We [have been] by far the best team in the second half of the season. We are more or less leading this league. The lads are playing a fantastic season."

• Middlesbrough may be unable to reach the play-offs by the time of the fixture but Farke does not expect that to impact how the game is played: "No, because they are unbeaten with many good wins and good performances in recent weeks. I expect them to be highly motivated and not expect them to feel pressure, with nothing to lose now.

• Therefore, he anticipates a difficult task on Teesside: "[It will be a] tough game for us, but this is what we have faced in 46 game days. We know we have to be at our best."

• He agrees that the success of German clubs in European competitions this seasons shows football is not always about having a massively wealthy owner but instead investing in youth.

• He added: "Our last line-up: [Illan] Meslier, experienced but young. [Joe] Rodon and [Ethan] Ampadu - our rivals are more experienced. [Ilia] Gruev and [Archie] Gray - our rivals have more experience. Our attackers, [Crysencio] Summerville, 21, [Willy] Gnonto 20, [Georginio] Rutter 22 and [Joel] Piroe 24 - our rivals have more experience. I don't want to buy success - I want to build for success. I don't want to be in the Premier League for one year spending money and then being out of it for 10 years. We want to be there for a long, long time."