On their return to the Premier League, Leeds United emerged victorious against David Moyes' Everton. The hosts got off to a faster start, dominating play in the first half. But the Toffees came out much improved in the second 45, growing into the game.
But it would be Leeds who would get the all-important goal through a spot-kick that was awarded for a divisive handball offence made by James Tarkowski. New signing Lukas Nmecha buried his attempt to secure all three points for Daniel Farke's side.
Here are four things we learnt from this encounter:
Great first half met with Everton resistance:
Despite the decisive goal coming in the second half, Leeds fans will certainly be more encouraged from the opening 45 minutes, in which Everton simply could not find a way out.
The home side enjoyed a much larger share of possession, registering 63% of the ball in this period of time. They did not allow Everton a single shot whilst registering twelve of their own, ending the half with an xG of 0.75 to Everton's 0. It was a comfortable first half for Leeds, and it looked reminiscent of what fans saw in the Championship last season as they dominated teams.
However, the visitors woke up after the break and began to grow into the match, looking like they could be the ones to grab the goal and break Leeds' hearts in their season opener. Everton had the larger share of possession in the second half, but despite this, could not find the back of the net.
Leeds should receive credit for withstanding the Everton pressure and then finding the winner themselves in an encouraging opening match for Daniel Farke's men.
One man who certainly stood out against Everton was new signing Gudmundsson. The Swede was acquired in the summer from Lille and looked really impressive in his competitive debut for the club.
The left-back was not tested too much defensively by Everton, who were quiet in the Leeds half in the opening 45 minutes. However, when he was called into action, he did his duties exceptionally well. Gudmundsson won around 65% of all of his duels and recovered the ball often.
But the 26-year-old was not just involved in the defence, he also contributed to Leeds' attacking moves. The Swede created a couple of chances for his new side, as well as completing the most successful dribbles of any player, displaying his ball-carrying ability.
He did have a few attempts of his own, one of these being a venomous hit that, had it not been blocked, may have caused Pickford some issues in goal. Overall, it was a great competitive debut from Gudmundsson, who has started how he means to go on.
Leeds' captain, who played such an important role in their promotion both on and off the pitch, looked superb against the Toffees. The 24-year-old was a commanding figure in the centre of the park, especially in that dominant first half.
He was heavily involved in play in the 78 minutes that he was on the pitch for, providing a link between the defence and the offence. Ampadu played like a player with plenty of confidence, winning the majority of his duels against Everton. The midfielder was also very accurate with his passing, linking up play very effectively.
The Welshman has developed so much as both a player and a leader since arriving at Elland Road from Chelsea in 2023, certainly looking like a player who belongs in the Premier League now.
A performance to build on:
There is no doubt that getting the win in the opening match of the season was crucial for Daniel Farke's men. It is a feat that many newly-promoted teams struggle with, this being one of the few seasons where two have done so. The fact that they have managed to do so will certainly instil confidence within the players.
Leeds now turns their attention to their trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal, a team with title aspirations. With their confidence high and expectations for this game set to be low, this could play to the advantage of the Whites.
Regardless, the overall performance against Everton was an extremely encouraging one and certainly shows that Leeds are a serious threat this season, who should not be taken lightly at all.