Leeds United are a Premier League club again and will be eyeing up several fixtures next season as those to get excited for.
After a long and gruelling season, Leeds United secured their promotion back to the Premier League on a glorious Easter Monday after beating Stoke City 6-0.
Now, after a long wait, Leeds’ Premier League fixtures will be released tomorrow and the 49ers and recruitment team are currently in the process of building a Premier League-ready Leeds team with experience.
Only four Leeds players should be Premier League starters next season, with a rebuild needing to be undertaken to ensure the club’s survival at the first time of asking.
Leeds United’s last five opening day Premier League fixtures
Survival will be tough and Leeds are having to prioritise Premier League physicality in various guises. That also means Leeds relying more on set-pieces in the top flight.
Daniel Farke’s side are already lagging behind many other sides in the sense that Leeds have one of the lowest Premier League bills.
It will be difficult for Leeds to survive Premier League relegation but that hasn’t stopped excitement from building ahead of tomorrow. Games against Burnley, Sunderland, Wolves, and Everton will be viewed as vital to survival.
Others, such as Chelsea, Man United, and Liverpool see old rivalries spark back into life. But who will Leeds face on opening day? That remains to be seen, but we have taken a look back in time at Leeds’ last five opening day opponents and results ahead of tomorrow’s reveal.
1) Leeds United 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers – 2022/23
Leeds’ last opening day game in the Premier League was one of their seven wins in 2022/23 after beating Wolves at Elland Road coming from behind.
Daniel Podence opened the scoring before Rodrigo’s equaliser soon after. Patrick Bamford’s low cross was then put into his own net by Rayan Ait-Nouri to win the game late on.
2) Manchester United 5-1 Leeds United – 2021/22
A thoroughly miserable day out at Old Trafford came during the year prior, even after Luke Ayling equalised with a screamer at the start of the second-half for Leeds.
Marcelo Bielsa’s men went on to lose 5-1 after Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick and get Leeds’ campaign off to the worst possible start in 2021.
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3) Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United – 2020/21
One of the best games of the 2020/21 Premier League season came at Anfield between Leeds and Liverpool. Bielsa’s men more than held their own against Jurgen Klopp’s machine.
It was a fixture that pitted the Championship winners against the Premier League champions. Leeds were magnificent in their first season back in the Premier League after 16 years and it set the tone for their ninth-place finish.
4) Leeds United 2-2 Newcastle United – 2003/04
Alan Shearer’s late equaliser was enough for Newcastle United to snatch a point at Elland Road back in 2003. It was his penalty that had cancelled out Mark Viduka’s opener.
That was before Alan Smith put Leeds ahead in the second-half. Leeds then failed to hold on. They had been clinging on when Shearer poked home from close range following a quick free-kick routine.
5) Leeds United 3-0 Manchester City – 2002/03
Over 40,000 were in attendance at Elland Road to see Leeds’ 2002/03 campaign get off to the perfect start. It was Nick Barmby to open the scoring early on for Leeds.
Following that, Leeds scored through Viduka on the stroke of half-time. Robbie Keane then added some extra gloss to the scoreline late on to secure Leeds three points, three goals, and a clean sheet against Man City.
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