Lucas Nmecha celebrates his winning goal for Leeds United against Everton.placeholder image
Lucas Nmecha celebrates his winning goal for Leeds United against Everton.
Daniel Farke praised his Leeds United players for the way they quickly adapted to their new division to make a winning return to the Premier League.
It took a second half penalty for handball – put away by new striker Lucas Nmecha – to earn a first three points in the opening game, but there was huge promise in the way the Whites played and it would have been an injustice had they not walked off winners.
With 20 efforts on goal to their opponents' five and with new goalkeeper Lucas Perri only called on to make one save in the 97 minutes of play United's dominance showed in the final statistics and the manager was clearly pleased.
He said: “I think overall it was a tight game, a hard fight win but well deserved.
Spot on Lucas Nmecha takes the penalty that brought Leeds United their first three points of the new season.placeholder image
Spot on Lucas Nmecha takes the penalty that brought Leeds United their first three points of the new season.
“Outstanding performance, very dominant in the first half and nearly 70 per cent possession.
“I was a bit worried because a newly promoted side, such a dominant period, and the start of the second-half had good chances, normally you need a goal.
“At Premier League level one moment can change momentum, an experienced side like Everton can take advantage, score a goal, take advantage and then we’d get praise for a good performance but no points.
“Pretty pleased we could reward ourselves with a late goal and to protect a clean sheet. Always have to be switched on.”
Anton Stach on the attack on his competitive debut for Leeds United against Everton.placeholder image
Anton Stach on the attack on his competitive debut for Leeds United against Everton.
Leeds lost Ethan Ampadu to injury after he was the subject of a late lunge by Everton's Tim Iroegbunam, but Farke hopes it will not lead to a lay-off for the influential skipper.
He explained: “He’s a key player for us, He sets the tone. Important for our defensive stability. We think it's just a bruise but we will see.”
Roared on by an excited crowd, a Leeds side containing eight of the players who earned them promotion from the Championship, looked hungry from the kick-off as they hunted their opponents down and never let them settle on the ball.
The new fluid 4-3-3 system worked well with the Whites getting on top in midfield where Ampadu was strong in the tackle and Ao Tanaka and new boy Anton Stach combined well. Wingers Willy Gnonto and Dan James saw plenty of the ball in the opening half and striker Joel Piroe linked play effectively.
The first chance fell to Piroe on four minutes when he latched onto a low ball into the box only for England keeper Jordan Pickford to be quickly out to save.
Ampadu's flick on from the resulting corner was cleared with Tanaka lurking at the far post.
Piroe found himself in space, but saw his shot on the turn deflected wide. Another effort from the Dutch striker was blocked after James' excellent cross.
Tanaka's long range shot sailed over, but United went closer when Pascal Struijk's header was cleared off the line by Jake O'Brien.
There was nothing come back from Everton and Gnonto threatened with a strike from outside the box that went narrowly over.
The only thing missing from Leeds' first half was a goal and it was predictably a little tougher after the break, although they started in the same manner with Gnonto found by Tanaka, but firing his shot straight at Pickford.
The visitors managed their first effort of the night on 53 minutes, Idrissa Gueye's shot from 20 yards out going well over.
Leeds immediately went down the other end and had their best chance up to this point with Gnonto turning in the box only to send his shot into the side netting.
Everton did have a better spell and Perri had to make his only serious save when he got down well to keep out Carlos Alcaraz's angled shot.
But as the game opened up Tanaka sent a volley over and substitute Nmecha had a shot blocked. Stach then fired in a shot from outside the box and Everton defender James Tarkowski flung himself at the ball to try to block it.
His arm was down by his side, but he moved towards the ball and a penalty was the result, confirmed by VAR.
With Piroe only recently going off it was Nmecha who stepped up to take the spot kick and although Pickford went the right way he could not get to a well struck low effort from the new boy who had a goal to celebrate on his competitive debut for the club.
In a frantic finish Everton came close to an equaliser with Tarkowski heading wide from close range, but the Whites could also have added to their lead as Stach had a shot beaten away by the keeper and volleyed another effort over.
(Nmecha 84, pen)
Monday, August 18, 2025
Premier League
Attendance: 36,820
Leeds: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu (Gruev 78), Stach, Tanaka (Longstaff 90+3); James (Harrison 78), Gnonto (Aaronson 67), Piroe (Nmecha 78).
Everton: Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner; Iroegbunam (Grealish 71), Gueye; Alcaraz (Barry 86), Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Continue Reading