A brief cameo, yes, but one in which he looked dynamic, difficult to dispossess, quick and direct. There is genuine competition at right-back and the battle between Spence and Luke Ayling will be fascinating.
The Leeds lad scampered up and down the left all afternoon, using his pace to help Willy Gnonto cause problems and coming close to a goal with a fine effort. Sam Byram could return for the Millwall game but Shackleton could feel hard done by if he were to be dropped.
Bad day
Daniel Farke
Another home game without the win he craves at Elland Road and this was arguably the most frustrating of the lot. Leeds had chances, didn’t take them and then ran out of ideas late on against a stubborn low block.
Joel Piroe
Everyone wants to see him in the box finishing off moves but the sight of him dropping so deep to try and get involved, or losing the ball with poor first touches, was not what Leeds fans were expecting. It was an off day in the 10 position for Piroe, a week on from a truly impressive goalscoring debut.
Off-camera moments
Glen Kamara, Mateo Joseph and Ian Poveda all appearing on the team sheet among Farke’s substitutes to boost his options and forming a passing triangle as a trio. The Finland international was one of two new boys on the bench. The other, Djed Spence, found a passing partner in Darko Gyabi.
As the players finished the warm-up and headed for the tunnel Poveda and Kamara were showing off their keepy-up skills in tandem. They were at it again at half-time.
Luke Ayling’s words with the fourth official, who attempted to stop the full-back from taking a quick throw in several yards from where the ball left the field of play. The Leeds man was unamused.
Ayling was also quick to react when Archie Gray had to leap out of the way of Delgado’s lunging tackle, sticking up for the teenager with a few shoves and a few more words.
Gray’s midfield partner Ethan Ampadu was an animated figure all afternoon. He was dishing out words of wisdom to Joel Piroe midway through the first half, gesturing for Rutter to run in behind to give him an option for the long pass over the top and growing frustrated with the lack of central passing opportunities at times.
Ayling played the role of the captain perfectly when Summerville was caught and no free-kick was awarded, rushing to get into position between referee Whitestone and Gnonto, who was intent on complaining. Ayling saved the referee from Gnonto’s tongue-lashing, likely spared his winger some grief and made the complaints himself.
At full-time Ayling was seen in intense discussions with the fourth official again, perhaps on the subject of added time or the lack thereof. Leeds had four minutes beyond the 90 instead of the eight or 10 they might have wanted.
As the players made their way around the pitch thanking Elland Road for its support, Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon and others removed their shirts to give them to delighted supporters in the West Stand and Kop. Gnonto elected not to join his team-mates and headed straight down the tunnel.