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By OLIVER HOLT, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER Published: 07: 18 AEST, 19 August 2025 | Updated: 08: 34 AEST, 19 August 2025 86 View comments The clock had just ticked past 70 minutes when Jack Grealish, newly arrived from Manchester City, escaped the instructions of David Moyes and jogged on to the Elland Road pitch, serenaded by insults from the Leeds fans and wrapped in the hope of Evertonians. It was a last shot at inspiration for the visitors because, until that point, they had had none. They had been relentlessly outplayed by a clever, fluent, flowing Leeds side on a return to the Premier League that bodes well for their chances of survival this season. Eight minutes later, there was another substitution. This time, it came from Leeds. Daniel Farke took off Joel Piroe and replaced him with Lukas Nmecha, a close season free transfer from Wolfsburg. If many had expected Grealish to be the match-winner, Nmecha, another wanderer of the City diaspora, stole his thunder. Nmecha, who spent his youth under the guidance of the City academy, had only been on the pitch for six minutes when he stepped up to the spot in the 84th minute after a piledriver from Anton Stach had been blocked by the arm of James Tarkowsksi. It took VAR to confirm the decision by referee Chris Kavanagh to award a penalty but, despite the usual hand-wringing and mourning about how ‘the game's gone', it was the correct one; Tarkowski leaned towards the ball to get in the way of the shot. Opinions, of course, may vary. Nmecha, 26, dispatched the penalty confidently, low past the left hand of Jordan Pickford, and Leeds had the 1-0 victory and the three points that they thoroughly deserved from an impressive night back in the top flight. Everton were left hoping that Grealish’s influence will grow. Lukas Nmecha scored the only goal as Leeds beat Everton 1-0 on their Premier League return Jack Grealish came off the bench for Everton at 0-0, but Leeds' sub Nmecha stole the spotlight Nmecha scored from the penalty spot in the closing stages after James Tarkowski's handball Make your 7 picks by 12. 30pm every Saturday to win £1, 000* Man City V Tottenham *18+, excludes NI. Terms and conditions apply There was little else for the visitors to cling on to as they prepare for their first match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, their spectacular new arena on the banks of the Mersey, at the weekend. The inevitable row about the penalty should not obscure the fact that this was a bleak night for Everton. They were second best to a promoted team by a long, long way. It is too early to be alarmist but if feels much will rest on the shoulders of Grealish this season. LEEDS UNITED (4-3-3): Perri 6. 5; Bogle 7, Rodon 6. 5, Struijk 6. 5, Gudmundsson 8; Tanaka 7 (Longstaff 90+4), Ampadu 7 (Gruev 78), Stach 7. 5; James 6 (Harrison 78), Piroe 6 (Nmecha 78), Gnonto 6. 5 (Aaronson 67, 6). Subs unused: Darlow, Byram, Ramazani, Bornauw. Manager:  Daniel Farke 7 Goal: Nmecha 84  EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6; O'Brien 6, Keane 6. 5, Tarkowski 6. 5, Garner 6; Iroegbunam 5. 5 (Grealish 71, 6), Gueye 6; Alcaraz 5. 5 (Barry 86), Dewsbury-Hall 6, Ndiaye 6; Beto 5. 5, Subs unused: Travers, Tyrer, Mc Neil, Chermiti, Coleman, Armstrong, Onyango. Bookings: Iroegbunam, Alcaraz Manager: David Moyes 5 Referee:  Chris Kavanagh 6 Attendance: 36, 820  The opposite is true for Leeds. This performance sowed only optimism about their prospects even if they know that the odds – and history – are stacked against them in their bid to stay in the division this season. In each of the last two seasons, the teams promoted from the Championship have gone straight back down. Last season, it was the turn of Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton to yo-yo. Farke is as well-acquainted as anyone with the size of the task that lies ahead. Of the 49 Premier League games he had taken charge of before this, he had won only six. Now, it is seven from 50. Leeds had spent £75m in the close season on eight players and three of them – Lucas Perri, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Anton Stach – made their debuts from the start. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the most high-profile of the new arrivals, was not deemed ready and did not make the bench. The home side forged the first chance of the match inside five minutes, although they owed their opportunity to Tarkowski’s failure to clear a cross from Wilfried Gnonto. The ball ran on to Joel Piroe but Jordan Pickford rushed out to block his shot. Much has been made of the fact that five of Leeds’ new signings stand over six feet tall but Gnonto, who is diminutive by comparison, was one of his side’s most dangerous players in the first half. He epitomised the ambition and skill his team showed. In this land of giants, the fleet-footed striker was king. ‘We are Leeds, we are Leeds, we are Leeds, ’ boomed out around the ground. The home team attacked relentlessly. Everton barely saw the ball. Leeds won five corners in the first 14 minutes and Everton’s defending took on an increasingly desperate hue. Tarkowski was adjudged to have handled as he attempted to block an Anton Stach effort Tarkowski had protested his innocence but VAR confirmed the awarding of the penalty Everton fans were left hoping Grealish’s influence will grow after making his away debut Pickford came to try to claim one of the corners then thought better of it and retreated. Ao Tanaka headed the ball across goal and, after an almighty scramble, Everton hacked it clear and breathed again. Leeds pressed on. They swept the ball from one side of the pitch to the other with fluency and confidence. Their dominance in the first half an hour was so complete it felt as if they were back in the Championship. Everton were crying out for someone to put their foot on the ball and keep it. On cue, the television cameras cut to Grealish talking earnestly to a teammate on the Everton bench, making what looked like a series of tactical suggestions. Grealish began to warm up and engaged in some friendly exchanges with Leeds fans in the crowd. Leeds did not let up. Jake O’Brien made a fine goalline clearance from curling cross by Stach that Daniel James was waiting to prod in. Leeds mustered 12 shots in the first half, compared to none from Everton, the first time for two years that a side managed by Moyes had failed to conjure a shot in the opening 45 minutes for more than four years. Idrissa Gueye finally brought that run to an end eight minutes after half time with an effort that rose too high to trouble Perri in the Leeds goal. Everton’s first yellow card came soon after, courtesy of a clumsy, late tackle by Tim Iroegbunam, that caught Leeds skipper Ethan Ampadu and left him in a crumpled heap. It began to feel as if Leeds may not be able to convert all their superiority into a goal. It began to feel as if this might be a night made for Grealish, the great entertainer. But after Grealish had come off the bench, Nmecha came off the bench, too, and won the game.

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