Leeds United started the new Premier League season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road. The Whites came from a goal down inside the first six minutes to do something they have not managed in either of the last two seasons and win on the opening day.
Daniel Podence had opened the scoring for the visitors but Leeds responded well and got back on level terms after 24 minutes through Rodrigo Moreno. Jesse Marsch’s side were forced to weather an early storm at the beginning of the second half but the use of his bench helped swing the game back in their favour.
And it was Leeds who found that elusive winning goal with 15 minutes to play as Patrick Bamford’s cross was deemed as an own goal by Rayan Ait Nouri despite Brenden Aaronson’s claim it was his. Here is how the national media reported the game.
READ MORE: Leeds United news as 'fresh bid readied' for PSG striker & Jesse Marsch praises Mateusz Klich impact
‘Most impressive of all was Brenden Aaronson’
Phil Dawkes of BBC Sport said: “Marsch deserves huge credit for his role in driving Leeds to the points they needed to survive relegation in 2021-22 - often seemingly through determination rather than design - but now he needs to be a man with a plan.
“With four debutants on the field and a fit-again Patrick Bamford to lead the attack, there were certainly clearer signs of one.
“Some parts worked better than others. Tyler Adams and Marc Roca showed signs they can complement each other in midfield as successors to Kalvin Phillips, the former tasked with the winning the ball, the latter to distribute pinpoint forward passes.
“Rasmus Kristensen was all-action at full-back, but may need greater help in such a narrow formation against sides like Wolves with wide players eager to double up in attack.
“Most impressive of all was Brenden Aaronson, who was a constant source of energy and endeavour, some of which he used to dart into the box and force Ait-Nouri to score the winner into his own net from Bamford's cross.
“He lacks the outright flair of Raphinha - the man he was brought in to help replace - but in his own industrious way could prove as effective.
“As Marsch pointed out before the game, the team may have lost two stars, but in general it has become stronger, helped by the recent arrival of three players who have operated under the American before in Aaronson, Adams and Rasmussen.
“It wasn't perfect and at times threatened to topple over as Wolves came on strong after the break, but there was enough there for Leeds to believe they can avoid the trauma of last season's relegation fight.”
‘An encouraging proper first day of the new era’
Jack Gaughan of Mail Online said: “Elland Road was moody. And when Elland Road is moody, it is dangerous. Wolves found that out to their cost.
“Whether the eventual winner was a Rayan Ait-Nouri own goal or, rather more romantically, Brenden Aaronson’s mattered not for Jesse Marsch.
“This represented an encouraging proper first day of the new era at Leeds United. Marsch’s era, one that takes bits from Marcelo Bielsa’s but with his own twist.
“Leeds still run a lot. They still press with intensity and are at their best when games are stretched and cluttered. But they have ditched certain principles, like the man-for-man element of their defending, and the next few months will offer intrigue as to how this team changes.
“One constant, though. When the crowd is up, Leeds are incredibly difficult to contain and Wolves just could not cope for a few minutes towards the end of an afternoon they will fancy should have presented a different result. Bruno Lage certainly thought so, upset with Marsch as the pair embraced at the end. ‘We dominated the game,’ Lage said, and it was hard to argue.
“Yet Wolves did not create enough true chances when on top. They conceded sloppy goals and Leeds, a new-look Leeds without Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, thought they would have a bit of that.”
‘Aaronson was the livewire’
Will Unwin of the Guardian said: “Brenden Aaronson’s only disappointment from his Premier League debut is that he will not be attributed with the winner, not that he will accept it was an own goal. Jesse Marsch made the American his first Leeds signing, getting his compatriot to join six days after they scraped Premier League survival.
“The forward showed everything that the new Leeds should be with his relentless work off the ball and skill on it before essentially forcing Rayan Aït-Nouri to put the ball into his own net. The relief of survival at Elland Road has been replaced by hope of progress in an American revolution.
“Leeds are far from being a finished product under Marsch’s leadership but that they were able to battle back from going a goal behind and did not concede a second when under intense pressure will be all important for a team who won three times at home last season.
“Aaronson was the livewire who set the tempo for his new teammates, offering the intensity demanded by Marsch. The head coach, who was appointed in February, enjoyed a full pre-season with his squad and brought in the players who can fit into his 4-2-2-2 system.”
READ NEXT:
Go here for all the latest Leeds United news
Leeds United transfer news LIVE - Striker linked, Joseph hailed and season begins
Squad concerns, new arrivals, Jesse Marsch approval - 'The Big Leeds United Forum'
Meslier fills Phillips void, Marsch-Struijk alert, Drameh homecoming in Leeds United moments missed
Leeds United have already punctured last season's first big problem as transfer double-take emerges
