‘Not great’… Daniel Farke says £16m Leeds United player was trying too hard on Saturday

Leeds United got their second push for promotion from The Championship to the Premier League off to a shaky start on Saturday, and Daniel Farke says one player was trying too hard.

Despite a brilliant start to the opening game of the season in which Leeds hit the bar three times and then Pascal Struijk scored a penalty, Leeds failed to hold onto three points and drew 3-3 at Elland Road.

Portsmouth took the lead against the run of play twice, leading 2-1 and 3-2. Brenden Aaronson made it 3-3, after coming off the bench to score only his second Leeds goal and should have scored a brace.

But the USA star went from zero to hero, back to zero again. His last-gasp effort sent wide when it was easier to score. Farke was asked about the substitutions he made after the game in his press conference.

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Leeds man trying too hard according to Farke on Saturday

Had it not been for Mateo Joseph’s stunning pre-season, Joel Piroe would have been expecting to start. The £16m signing himself scored twice in the off-season, both goals coming in friendlies in Germany.

But he was limited to a 72nd-minute sub alongside Aaronson. Piroe laid on an assist for Aaronson’s goal, though the American’s effort was largely the former Salzburg playmaker’s doing rather than Piroe’s vision.

“Our game was not great after the changes. Over-motivated maybe to show in this 25 minutes every player wanted to show their worth. Mistakes across the whole squad,” Farke said, talking to Leeds Live.

“Quite normal at 2-2 after 75 and you have missed chances, perhaps some lads get tired. Natural feeling you get that nervous. Brenden had mistakes. Joel trying to prove his worth too much. Difficult to say.”

Portsmouth manager expects Leeds players to leave this month

Speaking after the 3-3 draw, John Mousinho said he expects some Leeds players to leave before the August deadline. He says if he was a Premier League manager, he’d be snapping them up this summer.

One player that has been linked with an exit is striker Piroe. It is claimed there is foreign interest in the striker, just a year after Leeds signed him from Swansea as he struggles to start under manager Farke.

If he continues to sit on the sidelines as cover for Joseph, and possibly even third choice behind Patrick Bamford given he lost his place in the side to Bamford last term, perhaps he may look for an exit.