Leeds United Edge Everton with Late Drama at Elland RoadLeeds United marked their Premier League return in the most dramatic fashion, sealing a 1-0 win over Everton thanks to Lukas Nmecha’s late

Everton arrive having recently been bolstered by the loan of Jack Grealish and purchase of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Meanwhile, new Whites recruit Dominic Calvert-Lewin could make the squad. If he gets on, his debut will come against his former club.

Jack Grealish has been unable to inspire Everton after going on as a second-half substitute for his debut in a 1-0 loss to promoted Leeds in the Premier League.

A late penalty from new signing Lukas Nmecha earned promoted Leeds United a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Everton in their first match back in the Premier League on Monday night.

It’s in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva who sadly passed away in a car accident over the summer. Every game in Matchday 1 of the 2025–26 season will be marked with the same rituals: players wearing black armbands, a minute’s silence before kick-off and tribute messages on the screens.

Leeds United, buoyed by the explosive Elland Road crowd, pinned Everton inside their own half for virtually the entire first 45 minutes, with the hosts taking 12 shots while preventing the Toffees from having any of their own, leaving the hosts extremely unfortunate to still be level at the break.

Leeds United entertained Everton at Elland Road earlier tonight as they looked to secure a good result in their Premier League season opener. The Whites made a good start to the game but were held to a scoreless draw at the half-time break.

Daniel Farke ’s Leeds will never have the romance of Bielsa’s but a prosaic win qualified as a “really magic night” for a manager who entered his 50th Premier League game with just six wins to his name but who could claim the meagre resources at Norwich accounted for that record.

Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were in agreement that Leeds United were correctly awarded their match-winning penalty against Everton. James Tarkowski was perhaps harshly judged to have handled the ball in the 82nd minute and Lukas Nmecha scored the resulting kick from 12 yards.