Teammate shove, defender throws up among Leeds United good day, bad day and off-camera moments vs Stoke City — YEP 27/12/24

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By Joe Donnohue

A collection of off-camera moments from Leeds United's 2-0 win over Stoke City, as well as those who had a good and bad Boxing Day for different reasons.

Good day

Joel Piroe

The Leeds striker hit a brace and was good value for his two goals in the Potteries, producing one of his best displays of the season with composed finishes and good centre-forward play.

Illan Meslier

Like Piroe, the goalkeeper has received criticism from supporters and elsewhere for his performances of late but produced exactly what was needed when it mattered. Had Lewis Koumas' 2nd-minute effort found the back of the net, Leeds would have been in for a very different fixture - but Meslier was on hand to deny the youngster and Stoke barely had another sniff.

Daniel Farke

The manager went with Piroe and Brenden Aaronson as his No. 9 and No. 10 and the pair combined for Leeds' opening goal.

Jayden Bogle

It took him a short while to get to grips with his new surroundings earlier this season but Bogle is putting together a fairly strong case as the Championship's most accomplished right-back. Defensive concerns have disappeared in recent weeks, while his attacking capabilities are becoming more and more evident, as is the link-up with Dan James.

Bad day

Whoever scheduled Stoke's pre-match lights show

They must have been cursing their luck when the fog rolled in during the afternoon and lingered until midway through the first half. Needless to say, the conditions diminished the efficacy of the pre-match entertainment.

Narcis Pelach

The Stoke City head coach is winless in his last nine and faces Sunderland and Burnley in his next two.

Ben Gibson

The Potters' skipper threw up in the warm-up but managed to battle on through the first half. He was substituted at half-time for Michael Rose.

Off-camera moments

If Leeds are struck with an injury crisis in the attacking department, they could always deploy emergency striker Alex Cairns if necessary. The back-up goalkeeper, when warming up Meslier ahead of kick-off, demonstrated surprisingly pinpoint accuracy and power with his shots, cutting in from the right-hand side and hitting the target.

Willy Gnonto was named among the substitutes again as Dan James and Manor Solomon continue their fine run of form. The Italian didn't appear to feel too hard done by and was sporting his trademark grin during the subs warm-up. Before heading back down the tunnel to the changing rooms, the subs played a game of keep-the-ball-in-the-air, which culminated in youngster James Debayo letting the ball drop, although Gnonto's playful shove on the teenage defender might've had something to do with it.

Leeds fans might not have been especially visible from the press box on the other side of the ground but they could certainly be heard, heckling the lights show before kick-off, utilising what some might call 'colourful language'.

Ethan Ampadu returning to the starting lineup for only the second time since his injury comeback getting in the referee's ear whenever a decision he felt should have been Leeds' didn't go United's way.

Leeds goalkeeping coach Ed Wootten catching up with old colleagues in the Stoke dugout. Opposing head coach Narcis Pelach and select members of staff joined the Norwich City coaching setup in May 2023, before Wootten swapped Carrow Road for Elland Road later that summer.

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