Manchester ribbing
Before the match, as Manchester City’s travelling support filed in for the latest episode of their gripping title chase, Leeds United’s home faithful welcomed them. “Where were you, when you were —-? Where were you, when you were —-?”
After that nod to the days when City were in the second and third tiers as recently as 2002, there came a more unifying number about the red lot everyone inside Elland Road hates: “Shoes off, if you hate Man U! Shoes off, if you hate Man U!” A few in the City end could not resist.
Clearing the pitch
Before the match, another fan display had been laid out by the club across the lower tier of the Jack Charlton Stand. As impressive as it was pre-match, it did leave an awful lot of litter to deal with afterwards.
READ MORE: Every word Jesse Marsch said on Stuart Dallas, referee 'strategy', Leeds United relegation fight
Hundreds of the cards were screwed up and thrown onto the pitch by the touchline. It was not until the 23rd minute the match was actually stopped by referee Paul Tierney. The obstruction to the game was becoming too much and the players took to clearing the field themselves.
Marsch’s sense of urgency
Jesse Marsch was stood in his technical area throughout most of the match and found himself acting as a quickfire ballboy in several situations. It may have been Marcelo Bielsa who always pushed for as few stoppages as possible, but Marsch was following that doctrine on Saturday.
In the 40th minute, as the ball came off near the tunnel, Marsch was rapidly off his line to run down the touchline and get the ball back in to play via Luke Ayling as quickly as possible.
Touching moment for one fan
At half-time, among the various announcements made, there was a birthday shout-out for Les Bray, the oldest current season-ticket holder at Elland Road. He and his family and friends were stood a few rows in front of the press box at the back of the John Charles Stand.
There was plenty of applause and cheering for Les as his picture flashed up on the big screen in the southwest corner. A special moment for a very long-serving and loyal supporter.
Grealish sees the funny side
Jack Grealish has long been a hated figure at Elland Road. His association with Aston Villa and the many games he has played at Leeds sowed the seeds for what led to booing the first time he touched the ball on Saturday.
There is probably a grudging resentment for Grealish’s quality, but it’s mainly driven by the anger of his diving and complaining to referees at the ground. In the second half, as he began to go over to the east side of the pitch for set-pieces he found a particularly warm welcome.
Grealish would be repeatedly showered in the aforementioned crumples of paper card earlier used for the Yorkshire fan display. Thankfully, rather than get annoyed by it, Grealish could be seen chuckling to himself under the onslaught.
