Leeds 1 Everton 0:  Lukas Nmecha penalty hands Whites controversial victory on Premier League return

LEEDS UNITED are back in the big time – and boy are they back with a bang.

A night that started with huge optimism threatened to turn into frustration before new boy Lukas Nmecha blew the roof off Elland Road late on.

Daniel Farke’s side looked set to come up short in their quest to reward a white-hot atmosphere with a winner.

But debutant Nmecha was spot-on as he sealed a dream debut by converting a penalty to get Leeds off to a winning start back on their return to the Premier League.

The crowd were raucous and there was a feeling that Everton, with just new one signing in their XI, a makeshift left-back in James Garner and best defender Jarrad Branthwaite out with a hamstring issue, were there for the taking.

Farke also knew it was a big night for him personally.

Despite chairman Paraag Marathe’s public backing in the summer, he’s wise enough to know that’ll soon change if points aren’t picked up quickly.

But he silenced any doubters as he racked up just the seventh victory on what was his half century of Prem matches here.

It was clearly evident his players were fighting for him as they chased and hunted Everton down like a pack of wild dogs.

It’s exactly what he was looking for. His summer recruitment, bringing in seven players over 6ft and the other standing 5ft 11in, is evidence enough of how physically imposing he wants his side to be.

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And his new-look Land of the Giants, particularly the towering £17m German international midfielder Anton Stach, were the dominant force here from the off.

The noise intensified as Joel Piroe forced Jordan Pickford into an early save and the adrenalin continued to pump through the place as they won five corners inside the first quarter of an hour.

The electric atmosphere could also have been helped by the free pints provided at the nearby Moot Hall Arms boozer by Jack Harrison.

But even a beer doesn’t look like healing his relationship with the Leeds faithful any time soon.

The 28-year-old has spent the past two years on loan at Everton following the Whites’ relegation and he has received a frosty reception since returning in pre-season.

And the winger, who received the same reception when he came on late on, was greeted by boos despite picking up the pre-game tab, when he came out to warm-up – although he did himself no favours as he greeted his old team-mates in Blue one-on-one along the touchline.

Everton were creaking by this point, and they had Pickford to thank as he just nudged a cross away from Pascal Struijk’s head.

Jayden Bogle and Daniel James were causing Garner all sorts of problems as the Toffees desperately tried to weather the storm.

They were struggling to even get out of their half, and had to wait until the half hour mark before they managed to get a touch in the Leeds box.

It was wave after wave of attacks as Jake O’Brien’s clearance prevented Daniel James from prodding home.

You could see the anger in David Moyes, who was in deep discussion with assistant Billy McKinlay, at his side’s lack of intensity.

The fiery Scot has already made it clear he still wants more additions and they desperately needed something here. 

It looked like the perfect time for Jack Grealish, hoping to rebuild his career on-loan from Manchester City, to step up but Moyes opted for a verbal rocket instead.

He only had two new boys in his XI, and by naming two goalkeepers on the bench, he sent another clear message to the board he needs more bodies in.

Eye of the Tiger greeted the players as they came back out for the restart and that’s exactly what Leeds needed – though the big question was whether they could keep up the onslaught.

They started as they left off, but these fans are all too used to heartbreak, and you could feel the tension mounting as the hosts continued to fail and turn their dominance into a goal.

They thought they had it when the lively Wilfried Gnonto turned and shot into the side-netting.

But, agonisingly, the wait for a breakthrough went on.

Meanwhile, Moyes had seen enough. His men had failed to land a glove on the Whites and with twenty to go it was time for the introduction of Grealish, who quickly became the pantomime villain.

Suddenly, Leeds were finding it tough going and they had new goalie Lucas Perri to thank for denying Carlos Alcaraz at the near post.

But maybe things are different now as Leeds had Luk on their side.

Stach’s long-ranger deflected off a defender and was turned wide by the arm of Everton skipper James Tarkowski. 

German international Nmecha, only on the pitch six minutes, placed the ball and drilled past Pickford to give Leeds the lift-off.