Daniel Farke gave a clear indication of where Leeds United are heading in attack, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha sharing the No 9 minutes in the 120-minute friendly against RB Leipzig while Joel Piroe stayed on the bench.
That decision was notable because Piroe began the summer against Wrexham, when Calvert-Lewin sat out, but the balance shifted again in this latest test. Calvert-Lewin started the first 60 minutes, scored, and then Nmecha came on for the second 60 and also found the net.
Farke's attacking balance
The clearest message from the friendly was that Leeds are spreading the centre-forward workload rather than locking themselves into one obvious starter. Farke has a useful problem on his hands, but it is still a problem because only one senior player was left unused: Piroe.
For a player who won the Championship Golden Boot in promotion, that will naturally raise questions. Piroe also had limited top-flight minutes last season, so the picture is already complicated before this pre-season split even comes into view.
Why Piroe stayed out
Farke explained the thinking by pointing to the shape of the pre-season schedule and the need to manage players properly. Calvert-Lewin had missed the first part of pre-season because of a small setback, yet still got 60 minutes against RB Leipzig and made his mark immediately.
Farke said he was sure the group would understand the approach, and the evidence from the match backs that up. Leeds are in their second season back in the Premier League, and that usually means sharper decisions about who starts, who rotates and who needs minutes built carefully.
The key point is that this was not a case of one striker being clearly preferred above all others. It was a rotation that showed Farke testing different options, with Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha both given a platform and both rewarding that trust with goals.
What it means for Leeds
Leeds do not yet look fixed on a single No 9, and that may be the right call at this stage. Calvert-Lewin offers one profile, Nmecha another, and Piroe remains part of the conversation even if he was left out of this particular friendly.
For now, the bigger story is that Farke has choices. And in a season where Leeds need reliability in the Premier League, the way those minutes are shared between Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha and Piroe could become one of the early selection debates to watch.
