Ross Heppenstall was at Elland Road. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Daniel Farke’s turn to speak to Sky. “I’m a happy man tonight … four points from three matches … a really competitive game … two games here at home, four points, two clean sheets … this is how you need to approach a season as a newly promoted side … difficult to beat … a tight game … we had bigger chances … rock solid … we need to do a bit more in the offence … I’m pretty happy today … we made it difficult for Newcastle … this is a side who plays at Champions League level … I’m pretty happy with the point … happy with the clean sheet … don’t want to be too critical that we didn’t score a goal today … we are happy with the start but we don’t lean back, we keep the foot on the gas … keep going.”
As for the last couple of days of the transfer frenzy … “We would need to add some more quality up front … be good to have some options … we need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”
Leeds midfielder Sean Longstaff, who spent 18 years at his boyhood club Newcastle, talks to Sky. “It was a bit strange … I thoroughly enjoyed it … some of my best friends are in that dressing room … so I didn’t speak to them for a few days, which was really weird! … thoroughly enjoyed the game … it was competitive … I loved it … Newcastle have some of the best travelling fans in the world … but I’m lucky enough to join a club whose fans are just as good, if not better! … both really passionate fanbases and it’s a pleasure to play in front of both of them … it was really tough [to leave Newcastle] … when you look at it without emotion involved, this move was a really good one for me … it’s a massive football club … a big project … we know it will be tough to stay in the league but we have signed well … leaving Newcastle for the very first time was really sad … lots of tears from both sides … getting on for 27 you want to play as many games as possible and for me, I thought this was the best place to do it … [the start of the season] has been very positive.”
Sky then offer Howe the chance to wax lyrical over Newcastle’s new signing Nick Woltemade. “He’s a really good technician … his size will be a talking point because he’s obviously a big presence … but he’s not really a target man … although he can head the ball … it’s his creativity around the box … his link play … dribbles really well for someone so big … real creativity … he will find passes not many others can see … he will add a dimension we currently don’t have … generally that will lift confidence … you have to have lots of strings to your bow to be successful in England, and he has them.”
As for what’s left of the transfer window … “Not sure … there are no guarantees … we will keep working … genuinely we’re a lot stronger squad-wise than we were last year … fingers crossed we might do some more”
What next for Isak? “I don’t know … I’m not party to any talks going on … I will find out like everybody else.”
Regarding the imminent closure of the transfer window, Howe adds: “That will be huge for us … we are looking forward to that clarity … what our squad looks like … the noise around us can’t have been easy for the players … once we have clarity, we move forward and I’m sure we can do really well this year … long term the team looks pretty good.”
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Eddie Howe, drenched to the skin with West Yorkshire rain, speaks to Sky Sports. “Defensively we were very strong … really good in the three games so far in that respect … we’ve got work to do at the other end of the pitch … it’s really unlike us … historically free-scoring … good chance creation … today it wasn’t there … we have to do better with what we have … but when you lose the quality of player we have … Anthony Gordon, Joelinton, of course Alex [Isak] … take those three away and you are going to suffer slightly … we need to do better.”
The xG of that match was 0.59-0.42. The lowest of any game so far this season, and even that sounds generous.
… so this is how the Premier League looks after today’s round of matches. Leeds will be perfectly content with their haul of four points from their first three games; that’s two more than Newcastle, whose slow start continues. You could make an argument for Newcastle deserving to win the matches against Aston Villa and Liverpool; they didn’t do so well tonight, though, well snuffed out as they were by Leeds, for whom Dominic Calvert-Lewin buzzed around infectiously on his league debut for the club.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | Everton | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Sunderland | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 7 | AFC Bournemouth | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | Nottm Forest | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | Man Utd | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 | Leeds | 3 | -4 | 4 |
| 11 | Man City | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Burnley | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 13 | Brentford | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 15 | Newcastle | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 16 | Fulham | 3 | -2 | 2 |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 18 | Brighton | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton | 3 | -6 | 0 |
| 20 | West Ham | 2 | -7 | 0 |
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Newcastle United
It wasn’t a classic, and a draw seems a fair result. Newly promoted Leeds will be the happier with their point; their fans certainly sound pleased enough. Both clubs now switch their attention to the final two days of the transfer window.
90 min +5: On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher names Sean Longstaff as his player of the match.
90 min +4: Now it’s Osula’s turn to disappoint from the wing. He shanks into the stand from a promising position on the right.
90 min +3: Harrison sneaks past Livramento on the left. He should probably do more than just win a corner, but can’t tee up anyone in the middle. Nothing comes of the resulting set piece, which Pope claims without fuss.
90 min +2: Newcastle press Leeds back awhile, but Calvert-Lewin snaffles the ball and powers upfield, laying off to Harrison who buys a cheap free kick to release the pressure. Calvert-Lewin has been very impressive.
90 min +1: The first of six additional minutes.
90 min: From the resulting throw, Bogle jinks his way down the right and stands one up in the middle, but Pope is onto him and claims before anyone in white can bundle home.
89 min: Calvert-Lewin has looked sharp and purposeful since coming on, putting himself about to some effect. Now he gets a stride ahead of Burn down the right, and fizzes a low drive towards the bottom-right corner. Pope sticks out a strong leg to hack clear. That was heading in.
88 min: Osula clumsily clanks Stach to the ground. A pointless challenge, because Newcastle were preparing to launch a counter attack. Guimaraes isn’t happy, and moans at the referee, which feels a little bit like displacement 101.
86 min: Bogle crosses from the right, looking for Calvert-Lewin, who prepares to direct a header goalwards from the penalty spot. But Schar is on point and heads behind for a corner instead. A necessary last-ditch challenge … and the resulting corner is a waste of everyone’s time.
85 min: Newcastle appear a little more eager to chase a winner, but Leeds are holding firm and there’s not a great deal happening. Speaking of which … “I’m not saying the game was wildly interesting before Jacob Murphy left the field of play,” begins Kári Tulinius, “but since his substitution, Newcastle’s attacks have been as forgettable as their away kit. Leeds have yet to do anything of note. Murphy might as well have gone home with the ball.”
83 min: Harrison scoops another pass along the inside-left channel. This one’s intended for Aaronson, in a pocket of space, but it’s way too strongly hit and sails through to the keeper.
82 min: Newcastle ping it around to little effect. “Harvey Barnes had scored a goal in five of his six Premier League games against Leeds before tonight,” writes Michael Jenkins. “As a Leeds fan I wasn’t unhappy that Howe decided to start Osula and Murphy ahead of Barnes. Not crazy about him coming on late with the score at 0-0 though.”
80 min: Gudmundsson picks up a knock and is replaced by Justin, freshly signed from Leicester City.
78 min: Guimaraes and Elanga nearly open Leeds up with a middle-distance one-two down the right. Nearly, but Elanga’s pass back is inches off target as Guimaraes enters the box. Had that found its target, Gumnaraes was in space, and one on one with Perri.
76 min: Livramento throws long from the right. Burn’s the target, but the throw doesn’t beat the first man. Leeds dealing with these long hurls rather better than Liverpool did on Monday night.
74 min: Calvert-Lewin, his tail up, now bashes a long-distance shot wide right.
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73 min: Harrison intercepts a loose Tonali pass and strides down the left. Newcastle are light at the back. Harrison loops a pass down the channel for Calvert-Lewin, who strides ahead of Schar and tries to bring the ball down with a telescopic leg. He half-controls, but the heavy touch goes through to Pope. So nearly a fine combination between the former Everton duo.
71 min: Newcastle go up the other end and Hall sends a rising screamer over the bar. That wasn’t too far away from the top-left corner, and it’s not certain that Perri was getting there.
70 min: Space momentarily opens up for Gudmundsson down the left. He attempts to cross but Elanga blocks out for a corner. Before it can be taken, Calvert-Lewin comes on for his Premier League debut for Leeds, replacing Nmecha. Then the corner’s taken, and Pope claims it easily enough.
69 min: Scrub that. Botman is replaced anyway, sacrificed for Barnes as Newcastle go from five at the back to four. Botman trudges off under his own steam.
68 min: Botman, who has had his problems with injury, is thankfully good to continue.
67 min: Botman lands awkwardly after an aerial battle with Nmecha. On comes the trainer.
66 min: For a second, it looks as though Osula’s about to tear clear of Struijk … but he’s shoved the defender in the back with both hands. Nope!
65 min: Stach has the chance to release Aaronson into acres down the right, but seriously overhits the pass. Aaronson tries his best to athletically bring the ball under control anyway, but he can’t do so and the opportunity goes by. A smattering of irritated jabbering from the home fans.
63 min: Elanga crosses low from the right. Osula goes over in the vague environs of Rodon, but it’s not a penalty. “Watching Tino Livramento constantly ignore Dan Burn’s overlapping runs is borderline life affirming watching this at 4am,” writes Australia’s number-one Toon fan Chris Paraskevas. “Same goes for every corner that doesn’t clear the first man. We are the worst set piece team in the country.”
62 min: Newcastle make a couple of positive changes of their own, replacing Trippier with Hall and Murphy with Elanga.
60 min: Nmecha’s sheer presence down the right forces Botman into the concession of a corner … which is easily plucked from the sky by Pope. This match has not been an attacking masterclass.
59 min: Trippier sends it in. Guimaraes clatters into the nearest Leeds defender and that’s the free kick wasted. Leeds then make their first changes, sending on Aaronson and Harrison for James and Gnonto.
58 min: Livramento is flipped into the air by Bogle. Free kick, out on the Newcastle left. Trippier prepares to swing it into a packed Leeds box.
57 min: Trippier sends a not particularly good cross in from the right. Struijk considers heading behind for a corner, then pulls out, surprising Perri behind him. The keeper does well to make a reaction stop in double-quick time. Leeds finally clear their lines. Fiasco avoided in the nick of time.
55 min: … is headed clear powerfully by Nmecha.
54 min: This is better, though, as Murphy skips in from the right and buys a ticket for the raffle. He pearls a low swerving shot towards the bottom left, forcing Perri to turn the ball around the post. Fine play all round. Then the resulting corner …
53 min: Tonali and Schar take turns to consider shooting from distance. Neither do. Then Miley slices a simple right-wing cross into the stand behind the goal. It’s all a bit like that at the moment.
51 min: Gnonto scampers down the left and rolls across the face of the Newcastle box for Bogle, who is given a little too much time to line up his shot. Thankfully for Newcastle, Bogle is swinging with his weaker peg and sends the ball sailing high and wide.
49 min: Trippier goes lunging after a loose ball, and catches Nmecha. It’s clumsy rather than naughty, but it’ll hurt all the same. Nmecha gets up again soon enough. The referee not minded to flash yellow if he can avoid doing so, as the Longstaff-Ramsey challenge has already illustrated.
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47 min: Newcastle kicked off in the PSG style, incidentally, punting long towards the corner flag. Get hip to the new craze, daddio.
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Newcastle get the second half started. They’ve been forced into a change: Ramsey is still apparently feeling the effects of that Longstaff challenge on 21 mins, and has been replaced by Miley.
Speaking of strikers and transfers … here’s a bit of breaking news to while away the half-time break.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Newcastle United
Half-chances for both sides, but no cutting edge for either. Just a couple of days until the transfer window shuts.
45 min +2: Nothing much happens in the first two, so let’s hear from Toon fan Chris Paraskevas: “With the amount of delicious 90s-era whipped crosses going in - and Osula doing his best Mark Viduka At Newcastle impersonation, one second behind play every time the ball is delivered - I reckon just chuck Nick Pope up top and let’s see how bad his first touch really is.”
45 min: Newcastle are finishing the half strongly. Schar has a go from the right flank this time, but his long-range whip is always sailing high and wide. There will be four additional first-half minutes.
43 min: Murphy drifts in from the right and has a shot. Blocked. Corner. The set piece is worked long, and Schar, to the left of the D, nearly nets with a looping, dipping, speculative shot that almost drifts into the top-right corner. Had it been on target, Perri was beaten. But it deflects out for another corner, from which nothing comes.
41 min: Newcastle get patient, painting some triangles up and down the right channel, before suddenly pinging Ramsey into space on the flank. Ramsey looks long for Murphy, who can’t Van Basten a volley from an extremely tight angle on the left. Goal kick.
39 min: … nothing occurs. Newcastle attempt to counter but Gnonto stops Osula mid-gallop, and goes into the book.
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38 min: Gnonto dribbles in from the left and takes a whack from the edge of the box. The shot deflects off Schar and out for a corner. From which …
36 min: Pope races from his box to clear the ball out for a throw, then deliberately gets in the way of James, stopping the Leeds man taking a quick one, and allowing him to get back into position. Into the book he goes.
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35 min: Gudmundsson is sent into space down the left. He sends a dangerous diagonal ball through the six-yard box. Pope is out of position, but James and Bogle get in each other’s way at the far stick. Goal kick. Leeds are making awfully hard work of getting a shot away.
33 min: Gnonto cuts in from the left and has a chance to shoot, but opts against it, before losing possession. Longstaff wins the ball back just outside the Newcastle box, and tees up Stach, who curls well wide of the left-hand post.
31 min: Bogle romps down the middle and has the opportunity to release Gnonto into the box down the left. But he hangs onto the ball too long, and is eventually dispossessed by Tonali. Had he pinged Gnonto into space, the winger had just one man to beat, with other options in the middle.
29 min: Both teams suffering a bit from a lack of cutting edge up front. Like that’s breaking news. Penny for the thoughts of Newcastle’s new signing Nick Woltemade, who is watching in the stands.
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27 min: James tries to release Nmecha down the middle. Nmecha can’t get the ball under control, and falls over in the environs of Botman. The crowd cry for a penalty, but the players don’t bother.
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26 min: Livramento nips down the left touchline with dainty feet, and should pull back upon reaching the byline, but takes one touch too many and is ushered out of play by Bogle.
25 min: Murphy crosses low from the right but can’t find Osula in the middle. Both teams are nearly getting there. Meanwhile here’s more from James Humphries, who is definitely still not drinking on the train, officer: “To be fair, one of football’s little joys is watching a ref/assistant trying not to look like they’re dying inside as they stand on a touchline getting mocked by thousands, having their bum-bag battery adjusted and fiddling with their ear like they’re wondering if that second pass with the cotton bud was a terrible error. (I’d say ‘who’d be a ref, eh’ to close the circle but no, not quite able to take the broad view yet.)”
23 min: … nothing occurs, as Newcastle pull it back for Trippier, whose delivery from deep is no good. Leeds counter through Gnonto down the right. Gnonto crosses low, but Nmecha can’t quite extend his toes far enough to poke home at the near post. Pope gathers.
22 min: Guimaraes drops deep and nearly releases Osula down the middle with a raking ball. A little bit too much power on the pass. But Newcastle come again, through Murphy, who wins a corner down the right. From which …
21 min: … and it stops again as Ramsey gets a spot of treatment, having been caught from behind by an over-eager Longstaff. That could have been a booking. Thankfully Ramsey is good to continue, and so, having stopped again, we start again. Again.
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19 min: James cuts in from the right and curls a dangerous-looking low cross into the Newcastle box. Botman dives to clear with a brilliant defensive header. Had he not intervened, Gnonto was meeting that cross, six yards out. A good game now, if a bit stop-and-start.
18 min: The rain continues to tip down. Summer’s gone, kids. Calling captain autumn.
16 min: Ramsey scampers down the left and fires a low ball into the box for Osula, who spins on the spot and fires a drive towards the bottom right. Gudmundsson makes a brave block. That was heading in otherwise. Leeds hack the ball behind, then deal with the resulting corner. So close to the opener.
14 min: The assistant has sourced some new batteries for his earpiece and the game can restart. Is the simple act of shouting at each other not the done thing any more?
12 min: Play is temporarily suspended because one of the referee’s assistants is having trouble with his headset. Good grief.
10 min: Murphy dribbles down the inside-right channel but eventually loses the ball, then gives Osula the what-for, presumably for not making a run and thus failing to give him an option to pass.
8 min: James dribbles in from the right and is caught from behind by Livramento, who is certainly putting himself about during these early exchanges. A free kick and so everyone lines up on the edge of the Newcastle box. With everyone expecting Stach to swing the ball in, he tries to catch Pope out with a low drive towards the bottom-right corner. There’s a gap there, but the shot sails harmlessly wide right. Think Gary McAllister in the final minute of the Merseyside derby at Goodison in 2001, only the other way around, and not as successful.
7 min: James combines with Stach as Leeds launch their first sortie down the middle, but Schar gets in the road to close the avenue to goal.
6 min: Other than that one burst from Livramento, this match hasn’t got going yet. Not sure whether James Humphries will care or not: “On my way back to Glasgow having watched Motherwell chuck a lead away again in the comedy/poundshop Pep style (ably assisted by the ref, but it’s a game in the SPFL so of course it was) against a team coached by one of our ex-managers, so I’m in a sufficiently foul mood that my hope for Dirty Leeds vs Dirty Money Newcastle is that they both somehow lose. A guy on the platform was handing out tins, though (which in case any of the transport polis are reading, I am definitely not drinking on the train) so maybe by the time we get home I’ll be wishing goodwill to both these fine historic teams. Maybe. Who’d be a football fan, eh?”
4 min: Livramento wriggles clear of Bogle and Rodon down the left, and into acres of space. He can’t find Murphy in the middle with his low cross, and Leeds get away with a big one. That was a fine run by the England full-back.
2 min: A fairly nondescript start to the game, during which Leeds see plenty of the ball. Elland Road in good voice.
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Leeds get the ball rolling. The rain tipping down in West Yorkshire.
Before kick-off, there’s a moment of applause to remember all the Leeds fans who have passed away during the last 12 months. A beautifully warm ovation.
The teams are out! Leeds in white with blue trim that takes us back to the late seventies, Newcastle in third-choice blue that takes us back to the late nineties (19th or 20th century, the choice is yours). We’ll be off after a couple of minutes of this piccolo-infused classic.
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Daniel Farke talks to Sky and is asked about his two full debutants, Sean Longstaff and Lukas Nmecha. “We have a tough start … away at Arsenal and then you play against Newcastle who were in their last game against 11 men the better side … we know it’s a tough fixture … at Elland Road we always have a chance … we want to use that today … intensity alone won’t be enough … quality on the ball … a good structure off it … Newcastle are one of the most intense sides … one of the toughest tasks … we expect a difficult game … but we will play to our own strengths … for [former Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff] it’s a pretty emotional game but also a chance to shine … we need him at his best … [striker Lukas Nmecha’s] physicality against a pretty physical defence is a good choice … hopefully they can both deliver.”
Howe also clears up any confusion over today’s selection of Fabian Schär, whose substitution against Liverpool was erroneously reported at the time to be a result of concussion. “No it wasn’t [concussion] … he was actually fine … we made the decision to take him off because we couldn’t risk going down to nine men … there was a little bit of confusion but the doctor followed all the Premier League protocols and he was fine.”
Newcastle finally landed a striker this morning, in the shape of 6ft 5in Nick Woltemade, and Eddie Howe is delighted, telling Sky Sports: “He’s got a presence, that’s for sure! … it was great to meet him in person yesterday … what a warm, great guy … friendly … he’s going to add a lot to our changing room … also add a lot on the pitch … real technical skills … hopefully he can score a lot of goals for us … I’ve got no idea on [how this signing affects the Alexander Isak] situation … I’m totally separate from it … I’m working on preparation for today.”
Leeds United make two changes to the side that started the 5-0 defeat at Arsenal this time last week. Joël Piroe and Ao Tanaka make way for Sean Longstaff and Lukas Nmecha, both of whom are making their full debuts.
Newcastle United make four changes to the XI selected to start that rollercoaster 3-2 loss against Liverpool. Sven Botman, William Osula, Jacob Murphy and full-debutant Jacob Ramsey come in for the injured Joelinton, the suspended Anthony Gordon, and Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga, who both drop to the bench. Sandro Tonali has recovered from the shoulder problem he suffered on Monday evening.
The teams
Leeds United: Lucas Perri, Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Nmecha, Gruev, Stach, James, Longstaff, Gnonto.
Subs: Darlow, Calvert-Lewin, Piroe, Aaronson, Bijol, Okafor, Harrison, Bornauw, Justin.
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Guimaraes, Tonali, Ramsey, Livramento, Osula, Jacob Murphy.
Subs: Ramsdale, Hall, Lascelles, Barnes, Thiaw, Krafth, Elanga, Willock, Miley.
Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside).
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Preamble
Both of these teams are hurting right now. And here’s why.
An opportunity to salve the sting presents itself at 5.30pm UK time. It’s on!
