Leeds United are aiming to finally return to the Premier League and replicate the beloved team of 2020.
Though it sadly played out in front of an empty Elland Road due to Covid-19, Leeds United returned to the Premier League after a 16-year absence when they won the Championship in 2020.
Marcelo Bielsa was the man responsible for finally guiding Leeds back to the big time and bringing some of the best football many fans had ever seen played by the famous white shirt.
Daniel Farke is aiming to follow in Bielsa’s footsteps by securing promotion back to the top flight this season after play-off heartbreak last year.
It’s going to plan so far, with Leeds sitting top of the Championship table, but things are getting nervy as the run-in intensifies.
Sheffield United are only second on goal difference while Burnley are hot on both their tails, sitting just two points behind.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LeedsLeeds | 38 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 76 | 25 | 51 | 80 |
| 2 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 53 | 28 | 25 | 80 |
| 3 |  BurnleyBurnley | 38 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 52 | 11 | 41 | 78 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 38 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 55 | 37 | 18 | 69 |
If Leeds can hold their nerve, avoid play-off hell and secure promotion then the squad will go down as legends in the history books, just like the last one did back in 2020.
How Leeds United last won promotion
Leeds actually weren’t playing when their long wait to get back to the Premier League was confirmed.
Instead, when second-placed West Brom lost their penultimate game of the season at Huddersfield Town on July 17, 2020, that was enough to mathematically confirm the Whites’ promotion.
Bielsa’s side had defeated Barnsley 1-0 at Elland Road the day before to all but get them over the line.
Here is the starting XI from that match and where that heroic team is now.
Illan Meslier
Two players from the starting XI still represent Leeds almost five years later but Illan Meslier is the only one who regularly starts.
The goalkeeper has kept hold of his No.1 spot despite struggling in the Premier League and coming in for heavy criticism this season for some costly errors.
Gaetano Berardi
Fan favourite Gaetano Berardi spent six months without a club after being released by Leeds in 2022 before joining FC Sion.
After six months he moved to fellow Swiss side AC Bellinzona before retiring in 2023.
Liam Cooper
Liam Cooper captained Leeds to promotion victory and remained the club captain until he was released in the summer of 2024. He then took a left-field move and signed for Bulgarian giants CSKA Sofia, where he has played 16 times this season and scored once.
Luke Ayling
Veteran defender Luke Ayling was another stalwart of Bielsa’s side but began to lose his place once the Argentine left.
The full-back joined Middlesbrough on loan last season and made such an impression that he moved there permanently on a free transfer in the summer.
Stuart Dallas
Leeds legend Stuart Dallas had to bring the curtain down on his career in 2024 due to injury. He’s now entering the pundit game and often gives his insight on Leeds fixtures for TV coverage.
Mateusz Klich
All-action midfield Mateusz Klich left Leeds for the United States of America in January 2023, where he is still going strong.
After spending just shy of two years with DC United, the Pole moved to Atlanta United in December.
Ben White
Though Kalvin Phillips did go on to claim a treble at Manchester City, no player from the Bielsa era has gone on to have as good a career as Ben White.
The defender – who often played in midfield for Leeds – spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Leeds from Brighton and was fantastic. So much so that Arsenal spent a massive £50m to sign him in 2021 and he remains a crucial part of Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing side.
Jack Harrison
Jack Harrison is technically still a Leeds player but he hasn’t actually pulled on the shirt since May 2023. The winger has spent the last two seasons on loan at Everton but is still contracted to Leeds until 2028.
Helder Costa
Helder Costa was another player in on loan in the promotion-winning campaign but Leeds made the move permanent in the summer in a £16m transfer from Wolves.
However, it didn’t go to plan and the winger would go out on loan to Valencia and Al-Ittihad before being released by mutual consent. He has since had a stint in Portugal with Estoril Praia and is now in China with YN Yukun.
Tyler Roberts
Tyler Roberts has gradually slid down the football pyramid since getting a taste of the Premier League by playing at QPR, joining Birmingham City and now spending this season on loan at Northampton Town.
Patrick Bamford
Patrick Bamford is the other player still in the Leeds squad but his terrible luck with injuries means he has hardly played this season and will likely depart in the summer.
The Bench
On the bench was a young Pascal Struijk, who has now developed into one of Leeds’ most important players. Joining him was Kiko Casilla, Oliver Casey, Ezgjan Alioski, Barry Douglas, Jamie Shackleton, Jordan Stevens, Pablo Hernandez and Ian Poveda. Phillips was not involved.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
