Leeds United’s Men’s and Women’s Team continued their impressive starts to the season with important results from their Premier League and FA WNL Division One North fixtures, respectively.
Daniel Farke’s Whites found themselves a goal down at the break against a strong Brentford side in the first fixture on home soil this campaign.
Elland Road’s unwavering passion and United’s never-say-die attitude shone through, however, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin well placed in the closing stages to poke home Lukas Nmecha’s low delivery, sparking great scenes in West Yorkshire!
After a curtain raising victory at Nottingham Forest and with the hard-fought draw with the Bees, United sit seventh in the early Premier League standings.
Speaking after the match, the goalscorer said: “It was a very, very tough game. We knew it was going to be a very tough test. They are very pragmatic, they play second balls, high energy, and we knew we would have to match that and more. I think first half we struggled.
“In the six-yard box, that is my territory. So I have to be there for when the ball arrives and I was today, so happy to be off the mark and long may continue. I think we just have to look to build on last season, take it step by step and week by week.”
If our Men have got off to a productive start to the new term, then Simon Wood’s Leeds United Women’s opening to the new campaign has been nothing short of spectacular.
Having dismantled Thornaby and Chester-le-Street Town, with an aggregate score of 10-0, the high-flying Whites continued the trend with a superb 5-0 hammering of Chorley away from home.
A Darcie Greene brace, alongside efforts from Ellie White, Alice Hughes and Monique Watson on her return from injury fired United to an emphatic victory. With nine points taken from the first three matches, and a goal difference of +15, Leeds unsurprisingly top the Division One North charts.
Chatting afterwards with LUTV, Greene explained: “I think it was difficult, the first half especially, we struggled to get in the game. Chorley did really well defensively but second half, we definitely came into it. We were just a bit slow in the first half.
"At half time, Simon told us that we needed to pick it up. You could see that we were quite lethargic in places and that people were struggling but second half, we definitely came out and changed it. I am just pleased that I can do something for the team and get on the scoresheet!”
On the Academy front, Leeds United Under-21s fell to a narrow late defeat in Merseyside. Despite taking the lead against Liverpool Under-21s through in-form Carrick Njinko – continuing his form after last weekend’s hattrick in the win over West Brom – the hosts turned it around to take all three points in the Premier League 2.
It was also a tough afternoon for Leeds United Under-18s. A very youthful side came up against a very strong Manchester City lineup and fell to defeat. Logan White was again among the goals for Rob Etherington’s team however, netting his third in as many matches to begin the new term.
How does this week look?
Beginning the upcoming week’s action is our U21s’ trip to face Charlton Athletic on Friday evening in the Premier League Cup, live for subscribers on LUTV. Scott Gardner’s side have already faced Stoke City in the competition, drawing 0-0 with the Potters in Staffordshire.
The following day, Farke’s team take on Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex. Keen to write the wrongs of our trip to the South Coast last campaign, United will be hoping for more of the same from Calvert-Lewin who secured a victory at Elland Road in the reverse meeting previously.
Attentions turn to FA WNL Cup action Leeds United Women, who host West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town Women at the BD Community Stadium, showed by free-to-watch LUTV coverage. So far in the competition, Wood’s team have beaten Halifax Women 3-2 on the road.
Our U18s round off an exciting looking weekend by hosting Burnley at Thorp Arch. Last time out on home soil, the young Whites were victorious over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
