Joe Rodon lift surprise, press relocation and funny Cairns chant in Leeds United off-camera moments vs Leipzig — YEP 9/8/26

By Lee Sobot

The YEP’s take and off-camera moments from Leeds United’s latest triumph against RB Leipzig.

Leeds United continued their impressive summer with not one but two wins against Saturday’s visitors RB Leipzig.

Fresh from victories against Sunderland and Liverpool in America, Daniel Farke’s Whites took on Champions League-qualified Bundesliga outfit Leipzig at Elland Road in a marathon 120-minutes of pre-season football.

The game was divided up into two sets of 60 minutes, Leeds winning both of them 1-0 which Farke said counted as two victories and there’s no real need to disagree. Here’s the YEP take.

Good day

Joe Rodon

Unquestionably one of United’s best players, Rodon was uncharacteristically below par in his side’s first pre-season friendly against Wrexham in America but that’s all now a distant memory after a fantastic performance here. Everybody knows that Rodon is warrior defender at centre-back but he’s suddenly become a rapid winger too, the Wales international star producing a startling burst out of defence down the channel and picked out by Jayden Bogle before squaring to Dominic Calvert-Lewin to convert. You sort of had to rub your eyes and ask the person sat next to you if it was Rodon as it was more like Raphinha. There were other occasions where the 28-year-old got forward too and he was pretty much foot perfect in defence as part of a very impressive 60 minutes. On this evidence, he’d be a good one for your FPL team. Loads of other Leeds players impressed, notably Sebastiaan Bornauw, all four youngsters who played and Tarik Muharemovic who looks like a Rolls-Royce defender as Farke put it but Rodon was clearly the star of the show.

Bad day

Joel Piroe

It’s pretty widely accepted that Piroe is third choice striker behind clear first choice no 9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin and then Lukas Nmecha. But it was still surprising to see Piroe not given a single minute of football against Leipzig despite the 120 of them on offer. Farke said afterwards that Calvert-Lewin needed to play 60 minutes and that Nmecha was basically ahead of Piroe at present which is fair enough but he also admitted it would have been tough for him to stay on the bench. Tough decisions as Farke put it.

Off camera moments

The absolute sea of yellow inside Elland Road with the away shirt not surprisingly a massive hit.

The matchday media being moved to the East Stand due to the West Stand being shut and even given a private box which was very much appreciated.

A few fans noticing that the press were now sat right behind them and one asking for a team sheet. He was told it would cost him a tenner but he realised it was a joke and was given one.

United’s players given a warm standing ovation as they stepped out at Elland Road for the first time in 12 weeks and again when they warmed up beneath the East Stand.

Calvert-Lewin given a big applause as he gave a wave to the crowd and clapped at then during the warm up.

The game kicking off as the pre-match rendition of Marching On Together was still playing. Proper pre-season friendly vibes.

Confusion as the teams swapped ends after the first 30 minutes and even now a question mark over whether this was one match or two. Two it seems.

Summer signing Harry Wilson given a decent applause as he was eventually subbed off following a frustrating home debut in which his effort was there for all to see. Won’t be long before he starts shining.

Alex Cairns overcoming a bit of a shaky start to have a very solid game between the sticks, making a very good save at the end en route to a clean sheet as he played the full 120 minutes. As the team await the arrival of James Trafford, Cairns was serenaded to a chant of “England’s no 1” which brought a few laughs.

Joe Rodon appearing somewhat surprised at the sheer number of fans waiting for him outside the East Stand main entrance as he got out of the lift on his way out. It must have been a good hour and a half after the full-time whistle yet there were still a good couple of hundred fans excitedly shouting his name and the defender looked like he didn’t know what to do. In the end, he just went for it and embraced it as barriers created a walkway for him, the Whites star stopping for as many fans as possible for photos and autographs. A day to remember for him and the young fans who got their pictures with him.