Leeds United vs Everton: Highlights as Lukas Nmecha penalty earns opening win at Elland Road

Leeds United’s 2025/26 Premier League season gets underway this evening with Everton the visitors to Elland Road. Both sides watched their 18 rivals in action over a busy opening weekend and can now kick their own respective seasons into gear with a fervent Elland Road their backdrop.

As always, the YEP will be inside Elland Road to bring you all the build-up to this evening’s fixture, including the all-important team news a little later on. There will also be in-game updates from 8pm plus the usual reaction, including those player ratings and reaction from Daniel Farke.

Stay tuned for all the latest information and refresh the page to keep right up to date with goings on inside Elland Road.

Full-time!

Leeds kick things off with a win!

Substitution

90+3’ - Tanaka off, Longstaff on.

Added-time

Seven minutes of added-time. Stach has just had a shot well saved by Pickford.

Nervy finish!

88’ - Tense moments as Everton get a couple of half chances, but Tarkowski’s header loops over eventually.

Elland Road erupts!

What a noise as Nmecha fires into the bottom corner. Massive composure from the big man. Everton bringing Barry on.

Goal!

85’ - Lukas Nmecha!

Penalty!

82’ - handball from Tarkowski as a shot comes in!

Chance!

80’ - Great one for Tanaka, who can’t get over a bouncing ball from 18 yards.

Substitutions

75’ - Ampadu, Piroe and James off. Nmecha, Gruev and Harrison on. Mix of boos and cheers for the latter.

Chance!

76’ - Alcaraz fizzes an effort at the near post from a tight angle, which Perri saves. Resulting corner is headed over by O’Brien.

Substitution

71’ - Tim Iroegbunam off, Jack Grealish on.

Substitution

67’ - Gnonto off, Aaronson on.

Yellow card

63’ - Alcaraz booked for waving a yellow card. He was fouled by Tanaka.

Ampadu back

61' - Elland Road singing Ampadu's name loud. He looks okay to come back on.

Ampadu down

56’ - Corner Leeds with Ampadu down injured. He’s in a lot of pain as the physios come on. Ilia Gruev to be introduced.

Everton showing signs of life

54’ - Everton starting to get a bit more of a foothold in the game, although that’s not saying much based on the first half. Gnonto has just hit the side-netting from a tight angle.

Chance!

50’ - Tanaka wins the ball in Everton’s half and passes into Gnonto, whose shot from 20 yards is weak. Dewsbury-Hall did enough to put him off.

Kick-off

46’ - We're back underway, more of the same please Leeds! No changes from either side.

45 minutes up

No added-time and Leeds jog off to a big round of applause. They’ve been excellent, by far the better side, but no goals yet. Everton will be happier that it’s 0-0.

Gnonto, Stach and Gudmundsson have been brilliant down the left, which is where Leeds are finding a lot of their joy.

Close!

43’ - A long throw falls to Gnonto who gets away from Alcaraz and fires a left-footed shot just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Ampadu physical

38’ - It had quietened down a little inside Elland Road but Ampadu just smashed Dewsbury-Hall. Needless to say the noise ramped up considerably.

Chance!

37’ - Another Leeds corner is cleared off the line by O’Brien. The Everton fans have just said something that made Ampadu smile.

Stach battling

36’ - The midfielder was down in pain for a few seconds after battling to win the ball back but is up and okay. Covered a lot of ground already, which is easier when you’re 6ft 4ins to be fair. Cross falls at the feet of James who can’t turn his effort goalwards.

Leeds still on top

31’ - Leeds still enjoying the better of it, as Tanaka balloons a long-range shot over. Grealish out to warm up, with an interesting welcome from the Kop.

Gnonto sharp

22’ - Leeds playing some really neat football down their left, with Gudmundsson and Gnonto linking up brilliantly. The latter has enjoyed a great start, pressing aggressively and finding pockets of space.

Leeds pressing

17’ - Everton are really on the back foot early doors, with Leeds flying out the blocks. Plenty of corners and shots. Elland Road at its best tonight.

Corner Leeds

10’ - Another ball falls at Piroe’s feet and his effort deflects wide. Corner is cleared.

Chance!

5’ - Good work down the Leeds left and Gnonto’s cross falls at the feet of Piroe, who is smothered by Pickford. Leeds corner falls to James and his cross is eventually claimed by the Everton goalkeeper.

Kick-off

We’re underway at Elland Road. Everton are playing a back four with James Garner at left-back.

Teams are out

Kick off not far away at all now as both teams walk out to a rapturous atmosphere. There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off, as has happened across the Premier League, as Leeds and Everton pay their respects to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva.

Warm-ups underway

The Leeds players have just come out of the tunnel to a great reception from those already in their seats. The goalkeepers have been out a while already with Lucas Perri getting his bearings, spraying passes out to where you’d expect his full-backs to be.

Atmosphere is building nicely inside Elland Road, with just over 30 minutes until kick off.

Team news

Here is your first Leeds United line-up of the 2025/26 Premier League season: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu, Stach, Tanaka; James, Gnonto, Piroe

Everton line-up as follows, possibly in a back-three although it’s not clear yet: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane; Garner, Iroegbunam, Gueye, Ndiaye; Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz, Beto

Ethan Ampadu’s programme notes

The Leeds captain has given his thoughts on the challenge ahead as Leeds prepare to face ‘the best players out there’ throughout the campaign.

Pints on Jack

A few of you may have already seen that Jack Harrison left a ‘sizeable donation’ behind the bar at The Moot Hall ahead of tonight’s game, with money also behind the bar at The Peacock. A lovely gesture from the returning Leeds man, who has been subject to a frosty reception through pre-season after two loan spells at Everton.

Farke has regularly praised the winger’s attitude and application in training and the effort is certainly there as he looks to win over supporters. A goal tonight will help.

The stage is set for another big season

Programme notes

Farke has reiterated Leeds’ transfer stance in a message to fans within this evening’s programme. The Whites boss acknowledges ‘there is still more to be done’ with just two weeks of the window remaining.

A message to those attending the game tonight calls for another showing of that famous atmosphere. Farke wrote: “Finally, of course, tonight’s a big game... Monday night football, under the lights and I have no doubt you will create a phenomenal atmosphere, like always. Show the world what you can do. Thank you as always for your support.”

Early Leeds United team news

Fans will have a keen eye on the Leeds arrivals this evening and the release of team news, with hope Jayden Bogle can return from a hip flexor issue in time to feature. Farke said on Friday his right-back would have three or four sessions to come through before a late call is made.

There are also doubts surrounding Sebastiaan Bornauw, who has missed most of pre-season with a calf injury, while defender Jaka Bijol is suspended. Another potential name to look out for is, of course, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who joined Leeds on Friday and could debut against the club he left earlier this summer.

Predicted line-up: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu, Stach, Tanaka; James, Gnonto, Piroe

Leeds United’s pre-season preparations

Farke’s side will go into this evening’s fixture full of confidence, thanks in part to their impressive pre-season campaign. The Whites did not taste a single defeat from five summer friendlies, winning twice and drawing three times.

Leeds kicked things off with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Manchester United in July before heading off to Germany, where they beat SC Verl and Paderborn in a pair of entertaining fixtures. A return to Elland Road saw Farke’s side draw 1-1 with Villarreal before producing the same scoreline against AC Milan in Dublin.