Daniel Farke explains why Joel Piroe played no part in Leeds United friendly vs RB Leipzig with no 9 need

Boss Daniel Farke has explained why Joel Piroe stayed on the bench despite his Leeds United side playing 120 minutes of football against RB Leipzig with a Dominic Calvert-Lewin need and Lukas Nmecha praise.

Piroe won the Championship Golden Boot to help Leeds to promotion but the Dutch striker bagged just two Premier League starts last season and none after the club signed new first choice no 9 Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer after leaving Everton.

Ahead of United’s second season back in the Premier League, Piroe started United’s first friendly of the summer against Wrexham for which Calvert-Lewin was not involved after a small setback but Piroe’s game time has dwindled since and the 27-year-old failed to even get on the pitch for Saturday’s long friendly against Leipzig.

Having recovered from his setback, Calvert-Lewin bagged his first start of the summer against the German team, the Whites no 9 opening the scoring to give his side a 1-0 win in the first 60 minutes.

Calvert-Lewin was then replaced by Nmecha for the second 60, Nmecha also scoring and playing the full duration of the second 60 in which Leeds also sealed a 1-0 success for a 2-0 victory as a whole.

It meant Piroe was the only senior player on a large bench not to bag any minutes but Farke said that Calvert-Lewin needed to play a full 60 minutes and that Nmecha was ahead of Piroe in the striker role.

Farke admitted not playing would have been tough for Piroe but that tough decisions were needed in United’s second season back in the Premier League.

“During the long season, we have to take some tough decisions”

Asked about Piroe not playing and if there was any injury, Farke said: "No so the reason is just like we had two games of 60 minutes and Dominic he missed the first part of pre-season.

"He desperately needed the 60 minutes today.

“And also Lukas Nmecha was in a good shape, he has scored goals, he was then slightly ahead of Joel Piroe in the striker role. This is the only reason.

“But of course, tough anyhow for Joel. But during the long season, we have to take some tough decisions and right now, we are on the stage of pre-season where I can't just say ‘OK, you play 30 minutes and the other 30 minutes, whatever’.

“They need, right now, a proper chunk of minutes, and that's the only reason. No problems at all with Joel. He's training fully-focused, concentrated and professional like always.

"Just a decision for Dominic and for the game time of Lukas today, and not against Joel.”

Asked whether he envisaged any current first team players leaving, Farke said: “We will see. So far, no one has knocked on my door in order to say that he really wants to leave.

"It's also not that the group is too big at the moment. So let's see what happens once we edge closer to the start.

“I don't expect too much business on the outgoing side”

“Perhaps also after the first one or two games, a few players are perhaps a bit more disappointed, then it’s more likely that someone would knock at my door.

"But it seems like everyone is in a good mood and everyone is happy so far and for that I'm happy with all my boys. I bring them all my respect and all my workload.

"Everyone who's involved gets all my attention and all chances also to shine.

"Also today [we had] many, many young players on the pitch, 17-years-old against a Champions League side in all positions.

“So for that, first team players at the moment, I'm happy to have all of them.

"It's more or less like to add a few more because for a long season we can't just rely on 17-year-olds or too many players from the under-21s.

"For that, I don't expect too much business on the outgoing side but I also won't rule anything out.”