Leeds United returned to the Premier League with a victory, as Lukas Nmecha’s late penalty lifted Daniel Farke’s men past Everton 1-0 at Elland Road on Monday.
Leeds were superior over 90 minutes, but looked destined to rue a scoreless but dominant first half in which they out-attempted the Toffees 12-0.
WATCH — Leeds United v Everton full match replay
That’s when James Tarkowski was judged to have handled a deflected Anton Stach shot, and Nmecha dispatched his penalty beyond the flying arms of a correctly-reading Jordan Pickford.
David Moyes will rue his team’s lack of creativity, but Everton fans may note the manager keeping Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry on the bench deep into the second half.
Leeds elation, Everton aggravation both self-earned
Leeds boss Farke has to be feeling good about his third Premier League opener, given his first with Norwich City was a 4-1 lashing by Liverpool at Anfield and his second a chastening 3-0 loss to the same opponent at Carrow Road. The other end of Merseyside hasn’t represented a similar challenge to Liverpool in a long time, but David Moyes’ Everton finished well last season and would prove tough to break down for a Leeds side still angling for attacking reinforcements in the transfer window. But Farke set up his team take control of the match and kept pushing buttons when Everton found footholds. Anton Stach was exceptional but Brendan Aaronson produced a half-chance soon after subbing into the game and fellow sub Lukas Nmecha’s penalty was perfect.
Everton bought pieces that should help them produce better attacking play in the future. It could’ve been the present, but Moyes kept Barry, Grealish, and Dwight McNeil on the bench. He brought Grealish on for 20 minutes, only deployed Barry after his team went behind, and let McNeil — who was the side’s goal contributions leader last season despite missing 3.5 months — sit on the bench. Moyes is known for boasting well-organized, difficult-to-breakdown teams but that he’s way-too-experienced to deploy that against a newly-promoted side. Even if that makes sense for some period of time, playing afraid until you go behind is silly. Maybe he’s proving a point to his bosses as Everton fight for transfers, but Moyes did not coach for three points today. Leeds did, and got them.
Everton aggrieved by handball call (analysis video)
James Tarkowski said it “absolutely” was not a penalty while Leeds’ boss Daniel Farke said the length of time it took to review the call probably meant the on-field call was right to stand. The changes in handball judgments do lend a little uncertainty any time a call like this is made, but for many years Tarkowski’s play would’ve been a penalty almost every time.
What’s next?
Leeds go to Arsenal at 12:30pm ET Saturday before a League Cup visit to Sheffield Wednesday the following Tuesday (August 26).
Everton host Brighton at 9am ET Sunday, then host Mansfield Town in the League Cup on Wednesday, August 27.
How to watch Leeds vs Everton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Monday
Venue: Elland Road
TV Channel: USA Network
Streaming: Stream live online via NBC.com
Leeds vs Everton final score: 1-0
Lukas Nmecha pen 84'
Leeds vs Everton live updates
Full time stats — Leeds 1-0 Everton
Possession: Leeds 54%
Expected goals: Leeds 2.07-0.55
Shot attempts: Leeds 21-7
Shots on target: Leeds 2-1
Pickford keeps it in the balance in stoppage time
Stach has been excellent and he smashes a shot that Pickford has to parry away in the first of seven minutes’ stoppage time.
Will that prove a huge save?
Everton subs
Alcaraz out in favor of big Thierno Barry in the 86th minute,
Too little, too late?
Lukas Nmecha penalty goal — Leeds 1-0 Everton (84th minute)
Tarkowski can’t believe it but the penalty will be given to Leeds.
Lukas Nmecha, the former Man City and Wolfsburg man, is fresh into the game and takes the ball at the spot.
Jordan Pickford reads his trusty water bottle, reads it well, but can’t reach a lethal precision strike low inside the post.
Leeds penalty!
Stach hits a bounding shot through traffic and Tarkowski leans into the ball with his arm.
He was trying to tuck it into his body but the ball undoubtedly hits his arm.
Going to be hard to change the call as it was the one made on the field.
Half-chance!
Aaronson pokes the ball onto the path of Ao Tanaka atop the 18, but it’s bouncing and the Japanese international has to rush a leaping volley before James Tarkowski or Grealish can close him down.
It flashes over the goal, the most dangerous moment in some time.
0-0, now into the 81st minute.
More changes, fewer chances
Lukas Nmecha, Jack Harrison, and Ilia Gruev are into the game for Leeds, as Ethan Ampadu, Daniel James, and Joel Piroe make way in the 79th minute.
Everton sub — Enter the Grealish
A ponytailed- Jack Grealish will get the final 20 minutes in place of another ex-Villa man in Timothy Iroegbunam.
Leeds sub — USMNT’s Aaronson into the fray
Wilfried Gnonto exits for Leeds in favor of Brenden Aaronson in the 67th minute.
More even first 15 minutes
Everton and Leeds have been more level to start the second half, which is yet to include a sub as we enter the final 30 minutes.
Hoffenheim import Anton Stach has impressed for Leeds, while Everton’s standouts are center backs James Tarkowski and Michael Keane.
A bit better from Everton late
The Toffees spent some time in the Leeds end over the final five minutes of the half.
Shots are 12-0 to Leeds, xG advantage is +0.72, and possession lands at 62% for the first half.
Leeds will be upset to be nil-nil. Everton should be upset about a lot.
Leeds have to convert
Leeds at this point have to be so frustrated to not be in front. They’ve out-attempted Everton 10-0, although those attempts have only combined for 0.52 xG.
Both Beto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are under 10 touches through 35 minutes and only the Toffees’ CB duo and goalkeeper have more than 25 touches. Just brutal.
Whatever the reasoning for Everton leaving McNeil, Barry, and Grealish on the bench, it certainly won’t last.
Underwhelming Everton
David Moyes seemed to bristle at a pregame question regarding Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry starting on the bench, and he might just be wondering if the question was astute. 2024-25 star Dwight McNeil also began the day on the bench.
There’s nothing going for Everton with the ball, as Leeds have had 66% of it and the visitors have yet to attempt a shot.
Close!
A hopeful Leeds shot deflects off James Tarkowski and Joel Piroe’s doing his job following the ball toward the six.
It leads to a corner kick, which Everton handles, but the hosts have given their supporters more hope on Opening Day after just five minutes.
Leeds lineup
Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Struijk, Ampadu, Tanaka, Stach, James, Gnonto, Piroe
Everton lineup
Pickford, O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Gana, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall, Iroegbunam, Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Beto
Leeds vs Everton preview
Leeds enter the game with the positive news of a signing, and it’s longtime Everton man Dominic Calvert-Lewin has signed a three-year deal.
Everton have a new forward of their own in Villarreal export Thierno Barry, who will compete with Beto atop a suddenly-interesting Toffees attack that features Man City loanee Jack Grealish in addition to holdovers Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil.
Leeds have some intriguing new faces as well, with Wolfsburg transfer Lukas Nmecha and Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri joining forces with Newcastle-trained Sean Longstaff and suspended but strong Udinese star Jaka Bijol.
Everton will hope to win early for David Moyes and avoid the early-season holes that have plagued recent seasons. Leeds know a win here would be their best bet for a pre-international break league win, as Arsenal and Newcastle are next.
Who will deliver the goods?
Leeds team news, focus
OUT: Jaka Bijol (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Jayden Bogle (hip), Sebastiaan Bornauw (calf), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (fitness)
Everton team news, focus
OUT: Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Nathan Patterson (groin), Vitalii Mykolenko (undisclosed), Harrison Armstrong (thigh)
Leeds vs Everton prediction
The home crowd will buoy Leeds as Everton look to find their finishing footing. The result is on a razor’s edge, and we see it pretty balanced at this point. Leeds 1-1 Everton.
