Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United created another host of chances in Sunday's Premier League clash at home to arch rivals Manchester United yet ultimately fell to another defeat as the Red Devils left with a 2-0 victory. Lee Sobot The lively Crysencio Summerville had several good opportunities for the hosts but the Red Devils went ahead with ten minutes left when Marcus Rashford headed home a Luke Shaw cross. The visitors then added a second just five minutes later as Wout Weghorst played in Alejandro Garnacho who fired past Illan Meslier in off the post. Roared on by an incredible crowd, Leeds began brightly and the Whites squandered a fine chance to ahead in the fourth minute when Summerville fired over from close range after the Red Devils failed to properly clear a Max Wober cross from the left. Crunching tackles from Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie either side of the chance raised the noise levels even further and Summerville continually found plenty of space down the right flank. The fi...

Leeds 0-2 Manchester United: Late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho see Red Devils beat bitter rivals at the second attempt this week at Elland Road to cement top four spot Manchester United secured a 2-0 victory away to Leeds at the second attempt against their rivals this week Erik ten Hag's side had to be patient but Marcus Rashford scored and then Alejandro Garnacho netted Leeds, who are still without a permanent manager, put in a spirited display but couldn't take any points By OLIVER HOLT They had built a wall of sound at Elland Road and the volume had barely dropped, every minute full of fury, loathing, visceral roars and taunts. There were screams of approbation when tackles flew in and jeers of derision when a Manchester United player was hurt. The noise and intensity were relentless. For Erik ten Hag and his team this was football as a test of character. This was trial by hostility. Then, 10 minutes from the end, the noise, fury and hope ...

Leeds United left Old Trafford with a hard-fought point, having prevented Manchester United from completing their comeback job. By Graham Smyth The Whites, under Michael Skubala’s caretaker charge, went 2-0 up against the side in third place in the Premier League, but conceded twice in the second half and came under heavy pressure as Erik Ten Hag’s men looked for a winner that never came. Skubala spoke of his pride at the determination shown by the players to dig out a point in such difficult circumstances, at such a difficult place, visiting Old Trafford just two days after the sacking of Jesse Marsch and in the midst of a long winless run. Here’s the YEP take on a dramatic night on the other side of the Pennines. Good day Willy Gnonto Every day is a good day to be Willy Gnonto. So often the main man in attack of late, he struck brilliantly to give the Whites the lead, boosting his already remarkable popularity with the fans. Turning it on against Manchester United, away...

Leeds United and Michael Skubala sent a message to prospective candidates in the race to replace Jesse Marsch with their 2-2 draw at Manchester United, reports YEP chief football writer Graham Smyth. By Graham Smyth Who would be a manager, at Leeds United? Not so much taking a job as climbing willingly into a pressure cooker, whoever replaces Jesse Marsch will need to be made of stern stuff. Even if the Whites were not perched above the relegation zone on a cushion made only of one place and the magnificent point gained at Manchester United on Wednesday, this would not be a job for the faint hearted. Ask anyone who has walked through the doors of Elland Road and spent any time at all around the place, particularly on matchdays, and they will all trot out the same description. Massive club. As with all clubs boasting size, stature and history, those things breed expectations and thanks to their rise from the Championship back into the Premier League where they belong, Leeds quit...

There’s nothing quite like a transfer window to bring a fan’s relationship with the individual players they support to the fore. On one hand you have the low-key, pragmatic and rational response to Diego Llorente leaving Leeds United on loan to AS Roma this week – a rare example of a move which appears to suit everybody - and on the other hand you have the public, soul-bearing distress of Mateusz Klich packing his bags for the USA, which happened so suddenly he had to come back and leave again so everyone had a chance to wave him off properly. The quality of the incomings though, and overall, the verdict on the January transfer window was that prudence ruled. Across the football world there is something about the January transfer window that makes people wilt with distress and gnash their teeth in frustration; and that’s just club photographers clock-watching until 11.00pm to see if they’re going to be needed again. It’s true that the January transfer window is the bane of many peopl...

Leeds United's January transfer business has seen the club add a wealth of Champions League and international experience - the second half of the season cannot be a repeat of the first. Joe Donnohue Weston McKennie, Max Wober and Georginio Rutter arrived at Elland Road last month, boasting caps for their countries, nights in Champions League auditoriums and in club-record signing Rutter, a burgeoning and exciting reputation, renowned in scouting circles across the continent. Leeds have made nine outfield additions since their nerve-racking escape at Brentford last season, six of whom can reasonably be expected to start this weekend against Nottingham Forest. And yet, the prospect of a similar final day scenario befalling Leeds United in three-and-a-half months time, despite the squad's evolution, remains a possibility. Jesse Marsch’s time at Elland Road can be defined by a three-act structure, beginning with a stressful 12-game race to the finish line last year: Act I. As...

THE VIBES TEST Written by: Rob Conlon Apart from catching a few USA matches at the World Cup, I haven’t seen a great deal of Weston McKennie on the pitch. I’ve read and heard his name enough to trust Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch’s judgement that McKennie is the right signing to improve Leeds’ midfield, and I’m happy to sit back and wait for Weston to start playing before evaluating whether they’re right or wrong. For now, I’m more interested in McKennie’s personality. Learning Rasmus Kristensen finds Brenden Aaronson annoying and thinks snakes are “cooler” than spiders told me everything I need to know about Rasmus, just like discovering Maxi Wober drives more sensibly than Kristensen and loves the darts. To play at such a high level, footballers have to be so committed to their professionalism that The Pint Test may no longer apply. A more appropriate exam might be The Vibes Test. Weston McKennie is well on his way to passing. ‘The Weston McKennie Story’, released shortly befo...

Leeds United secured the loan signing of USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie on Monday evening, 24 hours before the transfer deadline Joe Donnohue The 24-year-old already shares a close relationship with international teammates Brenden Aaronson and, in particular, Tyler Adams, but told reporters his decision to join Leeds was not overtly influenced by his existing friendships. “I thought seriously,” McKennie said. “Juventus are a Champions League club, a strong club, one of the top teams in Italy and around the world. But for me, I just felt like I couldn’t express my style of play and my full potential there.” "Leeds are a team who I feel like I fit toe-to-toe with everything that they want to do and accomplish. I have my friends here. Obviously I think about myself first because it’s my career but it helps. Tyler’s a similar player to me, I feel like he fits in well here so I’ve heard only good things. That’s how I came to my decision.” McKennie has spent the last three s...