Three Crucial Points for Leeds United, Resistance from Promoted Teams

LEEDS, MONDAY — The Leeds United promotion team began their journey in the English League with a victory. Although they secured three points through a controversial penalty, Daniel Farke's team deserved to win against Everton due to their dominant performance. They appeared ready both physically and mentally.

Happiness accompanied the residents of Leeds on Tuesday (19/8/2025) early in the morning WIB. Their beloved team returned to play in the top division after being relegated for two seasons and immediately triumphed over Everton 1-0. Approximately 36,000 spectators witnessed this achievement live at Elland Road Stadium.

"For a promotion team like ours, (Elland Road) must be a fortress. It is very pleasing to see the joy and pride in their eyes. It is wonderful to be able to inspire the supporters who are so emotional and care deeply about this club," said Farke regarding the fans who successfully created a "hell" for Everton.

Lukas Nmecha, a debut striker signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, became the hero with six minutes remaining in regulation time. Coming off the bench, he converted a penalty awarded after a handball by opposing defender James Tarkowski.

The penalty award sparked debate. The ball from the shot by Leeds midfielder Anton Stach did indeed touch Tarkowski's arm. However, Tarkowski had already made an effort to bring his arm closer to his body. Referee Chris Kavanagh and the video assistant referee (VAR) agreed to award the penalty.

Everton manager David Moyes said the referee's decision was wrong and poor. "His arm was bent towards his body. The ball also had a slight deflection. I don't know if Tarky's arm should have been cut off (to avoid a handball). Maybe it was because of the intimidating atmosphere in the stadium," he said.

Moyes also criticized the VAR decision. The incident should have been reviewed in more detail and calmly behind the scenes. It turns out, the result was the same. Nevertheless, Moyes acknowledged that Leeds, with the support of their fans, played better than his team.

Leeds' physicality looked well-prepared for the intense Premier League game. They kept Everton at bay with aggressive pressure every time they lost possession, especially in the first half. The home side were not afraid to employ a risky man-to-man strategy with a high defensive block.

So dominant in the first 45 minutes of the match, Leeds forced the visiting team into the locker room without a single shot attempt. At the same time, Leeds managed to bombard the opponent's defense with 12 shots. Pascal Struijk and his teammates also recorded 62.7 percent possession of the ball.

Wing attacks, particularly on the left side, successfully became the lifeblood of the game for "Si Putih." The combination of quick short passes from wingers Wilfried Gnonto, Stach, and wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson made Leeds' 4-3-3 formation appear so vibrant.

Leeds also demonstrated mental readiness. They remained very calm while defending with a low block at the end of the match. Various speculative efforts from Everton were successfully dealt with. The visiting team was unable to record a single shot on target from the moment they conceded until the final whistle.

Everton brought on a secret weapon off the bench in the 71st minute. Manchester City loanee Jack Grealish replaced Tim Iroegbunam. Despite this, Leeds' defenders were unfazed by the treble-winner's presence.

Leeds' victory adds to the sweet beginning of the story for promoted teams this season. Last Saturday, Sunderland also won, defeating West Ham United 3-0. Only one promoted team failed to win in the opening week, which was Burnley, losing to Tottenham Hotspur 0-3.

The results are indeed intriguing. Two promoted teams managed to win in the opening week against teams that are accustomed to playing in the top division. Last season, three promoted teams failed to secure a victory in the first six weeks. The first win was achieved by Leicester City against Bournemouth in week 7.

According to former England national team defender, Jamie Carragher, this positive start could serve as momentum. "We need promoted teams to be more competitive compared to the last two seasons. For Leeds, the atmosphere at Elland Road is the reason they have a chance to survive," he stated during a Sky Sports event.

Promotion teams have consistently been relegated directly from the English Premier League in the last two seasons. The results worsened further in the last season. Ipswich Town, Leicester, and Southampton were relegated with the worst points record in Premier League history, totaling 18.7 points.

Leeds' biggest shortcoming in the opening match was efficiency. They managed to create 21 shots, but only three were on target. One of those shots was from a penalty. Farke's team often resorted to crossing and taking speculative shots.

Leeds needs to improve its attacking efficiency if it wants to survive at the end of the season. The main issue for the teams that were relegated last season was goal productivity. The three teams in the bottom positions were unable to score more than 36 goals in 38 matches. (AFP/REUTERS)