Gary Neville nailed it.
“That’s one group of fans I wouldn’t want to go near!” the Sky pundit said of Leeds United supporters, unaware the cameras were live again after an advert break.
Presenter Dave Jones wondered out loud if he should apologise, but Neville doubled down.
It was a back-handed compliment – even a badge of honour for some.
Leeds have rarely worried about being popular. Certainly not with people as closely connected to Manchester United as Neville.
Feared? That does appeal to them.
David Moyes has seen most things in football, and the visiting manager was impressed.
WALL OF SOUND: Elland Road gets behind Leeds United (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
WALL OF SOUND: Elland Road gets behind Leeds United (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
"I've got to give great credit to Leeds they were incredibly intense, certainly for the first 30 minutes,” he said. “We played into their hands a little but, but they came out of the blocks and they were a handful."
It was almost Marcelo Bielsa-level intense on and off the field.
Inside the first minute a Toffees player put a simple pass over the sideline to roars from the stands.
It became pretty clear the timid, passive Everton players did not want to be at Elland Road either. At times you had to be reminded some were.
UNDER PRESSURE: Ao Tanaka challenges Everton's Jordan Pickford - by far the busier goalkeeper (Image: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
UNDER PRESSURE: Ao Tanaka challenges Everton's Jordan Pickford - by far the busier goalkeeper (Image: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was talking about his own players, but it could easily have been the visitors when he said: "Elland Road is second to none and when the fire is burning and the emotion is high sometimes you can lose your nerve."
There was no ignoring the crowd.
They let Sky know how ungrateful they were for being made to wait until Monday to start 2025-26, but it only added to the anticipation. Floodlit football is special, lubricated by beers paid for by prodigal son Jack Harrison, back and repentant after two years on loan at Everton.
A few idiots could not keep quiet during what was meant to be a minute's silence for Diogo Jota, and there was a battle over whether to castigate or cajole substitute Harrison. That apart the wall of sound was very positive and totally united.
TUG OF WAR: Everton's Carlos Alcaraz battles for the ball with Gabriel Gudmundsson, Leeds United's star performer on the night (Image: Darren Staples / AFP)placeholder image
TUG OF WAR: Everton's Carlos Alcaraz battles for the ball with Gabriel Gudmundsson, Leeds United's star performer on the night (Image: Darren Staples / AFP)
It does not just demand no-nonsense football, it fuels it.
Leeds played up to it, pressing like their lives depended on it.
"The crowd were very important,” said Farke. "It's always a bit easier to play when you are so supported.
"It's important we pay with this intensity and are not reluctant to press and reluctant to play forward."
A Joel Piroe shot deflected for a corner came because Ao Tanaka won the ball off Beto near the halfway line, and when Daniel James had a shot charged down, Ethan Amapadu claimed it straight back.
IMPRESSED: Everton manager David Moyes (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
IMPRESSED: Everton manager David Moyes (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Another Ampadu tackle allowed Gudmundsson to make Jordan Pickford beat the ball away untidily.
It boxed in Everton, who only made it into Leeds' penalty area once in the first half. Carlos Alcaraz's heavy touch ruined that.
At the interval it was 12 shots to nil, the only disappointment that Piroe's early effort, smothered by Pickford, was the only one on target.
Everton were able to calm the on-field onslaught in the second half – maintaining that intensity was always a big ask – but not stop it.
The crowd kept with it, suppressing any doubts.
"It won't always be that you create chance after chance at this level," reasoned Farke. "With the good memories (from last season) it's important our supporters are not over-expectant but they showed great understanding in the difficult periods."
Eventually, the passion paid off.
Amapdu played 20 more minutes on adrenaline after a nasty ankle twist which was a threat to Leeds' excellent three-man midfield.
And when James Tarkowski, hands by his side, leant his arm into a deflected Anton Stach shot, referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot. It was a tight call, one the video assistant referee was unlikely to overturned whatever was decided.
Would it have been given if it was not in front of a partisan, pumped up Kop? It cannot have hurt.
"He’s already paid back what we didn't pay for him," chuckled Farke.
With so much against newly-promoted sides in the billionaire's playground of the Premier League, they need to squeeze every drop out of the advantages they have. Elland Road is perhaps Leeds' biggest.
But Leeds cannot afford to lose the ferocity and hostility which has left a mark even on the likes of the battle-hardened Neville.
It makes a difference. It made a difference.