Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds are currently on course for Europe James Smailes Head of All Out Rugby League and Yorkshire sport at Reach plc Leeds United headed into the last weekend before a three-week international break sat in a Champions League position. Brentford's win over Chelsea saw them knock Leeds down to fourth at the start of Saturday, but with two wins and two draws from their opening four games, Leeds will be delighted with their form and results regardless of where it sees them sit at this embryonic stage of the campaign. What an unbeaten start has done, on the back of a very impressive win over Newcastle United on Monday evening, is provide a question on whether objectives for the season need to be raised higher. There is a growing belief among some supporters that a European place could be up for grabs this season. It would take a big improvement on last season, but already Leeds are in a stronger place than last season to the rune of four points at this stage. We asked supporte...

My sort of Leeds Written by Calum Archibald All of the teams that ever achieved anything in Leeds have one thing in common — they’re crafted in the image of the city. For too long, Leeds has been a city on the periphery of the big conversations, which has been borne out in the serious underachiever tag that we have to live with. If you look at similarly sized one-club cities around Europe, you’re comparing Leeds United with Napoli, Ajax and Marseille, three sides with formidable records and trophy cabinets in their respective countries, as well as clear identifiable club cultures they lean heavily into. At its core, Leeds is a city with a chip on its shoulder. The mill town, the market town, the rugby league town. The biggest city in the biggest county, the spiritual home of ‘ow much. A city of grit, hard work and pride in itself. That’s the thing that struck me more than anything as Leeds tore through Newcastle with three goals in fourteen first-half minutes: Elland Road f...

The Birth of a Great Coach Written by Rob Conlon After Castellon were beaten at the death in last season’s play-off semi-final at Almeria, Pablo Hernandez walked over to the away end staring at his shoes, his bottom lip quivering, unable to look his supporters in the eyes. If only he’d gazed upwards, he’d have seen a sold out away end, holding shirts and scarves aloft, bellowing with pride at what the team had achieved and the promise of what could follow. As Pablo applauded the Castellon supporters after their latest away trip, the scene was much the same. The away end at Girona was sold out, only this time they were celebrating Castellon’s turn to snatch victory in the final ten minutes, scoring twice to come back from a goal down against a team that was playing in La Liga last term and the Champions League the season before last. It was the perfect result ahead of a week in which Hernandez celebrated a year in charge of his boyhood club. When he was appointed in September 20...

The Leeds United striker was snubbed for the World Cup but a home European Championships is still within reach Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter Dominic Calvert-Lewin was clear of what last season signified for him amid his 14-goal haul. “It was more just to prove myself right,” he told BBC Radio Leeds last month. "I believe in my ability and what I’m capable of on a football pitch. Last season was about putting myself back where I belong.” The past 12 months have witnessed an incredible revival from the striker. By kick-off against Crystal Palace on Sunday, it will have been a full year since his first goal for Leeds United - a header against Wolverhampton Wanderers. On one sense, not much has changed since - the 29-year-old rising high to nod off Jayden Bogle to put Leeds 2-0 up against Newcastle United on Monday. But in most other senses, Calvert-Lewin’s trajectory has U-turned. He will have learned whether he has made the latest England squad by the time he walks...

By Susy Campanale Wilfried Gnonto admits he ‘missed Italy’ when playing for Leeds United and jumped at the chance to join Fiorentina. ‘I needed something different, as last season was not positive.’ The forward was a product of the Inter youth academy, but with limited options for regular playing time, he was sold to FC Zurich in 2020, then moved on to Leeds United in 2022. Despite earning appearances for the senior Italy squad at that time, his international career stalled with the Leeds United relegation, and this was one of the reasons behind his deadline day transfer to Fiorentina. It was reportedly a loan for €1m with option to buy for a further €15m at the end of the season. “This is my first senior club experience in Italy really, and I am happy to be at a club like Fiorentina, so I hope to repay their faith in me,” said Gnonto in a presentation press conference held today. “I am grateful to Roberto Mancini for the opportunity he gave me with Italy. Now I am focused ...

Leeds United 4-1 Newcastle United: A dominant performance from Daniel Farke’s side saw them extend their unbeaten Premier League start Mark Walker Leeds United maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign and moved up to third place following a convincing 4-1 victory against Newcastle United at Elland Road. Daniel Farke’s side struck twice in two minutes during the opening half via a Lewis Miley own goal and a Jayden Bogle finish, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin added a third prior to the break. The dominance continued after the restart, with Noah Okafor adding a fourth to extend the advantage before substitute Bazoumana Toure managed a late consolation for the visitors. Earlier, Newcastle survived initial pressure when appeals for a Leeds penalty were turned down after the ball appeared to hit debutant Matias Fernandes-Pardo’s arm on the edge of the area. Visiting goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek subsequently made a low save to deny Bogle’s hooked effort, shortly b...

Leeds sniffed vulnerability and went for the kill in 4-1 horror show for Newcastle, writes CRAIG HOPE - this was a warning over where their season could end up, while Whites eye race for Europe By CRAIG HOPE, CHIEF FOOTBALL REPORTER Identical records coming into this, poles and goals apart coming out. Leeds bullied and bettered Newcastle and are deservedly up to third in the Premier League. Their unbeaten start is genuine and so are the prospects of them challenging for European football this season, nearly a quarter of a century after their last continental campaign. Newcastle’s start always felt less real, and so it proved on a night when Daniel Farke’s side were as brilliant and boisterous as those in the stands. Elland Road was a bear pit and, from the off, it was clear that their visitors were in for a mauling. To think, they’re in the process of making this place even bigger and more intimidating. Those words capture Dominic Calvert-Lewin, too. He should be in Thomas Tu...