Daniel Farke is not likely to have found his best XI yet as Leeds United manager in 2025/26, albeit the recent games have had a settled lineup.
Making top flight football stick is the key, which is why Leeds United returned to the Premier League with a flurry of activity in the 2025 summer transfer window. In the end, 10 new faces arrived at Elland Road.
The 49ers were aiming to build a squad with the experience, physicality, and depth required for survival under Farke. However, many Leeds fans were left frustrated after deadline day.
Even without the final attacking addition or two, the 49ers appear to have done their Premier League research on what it takes to survive. The evidence suggests they are able to compete in games well, too.
Leeds United’s consistent XI in 2025 compared to 1970
Leeds’ best XI after deadline day is debatable, even if some positions are more clear than others from a Leeds point of view.
However, even when considering recent injuries to the likes of Lucas Perri, Dan James, Willy Gnonto, Ao Tanaka, and Ethan Ampadu so far this term, Leeds have now had a settled XI.
Some of those are certain to be parts of the best XI, but the last four games have now been the XI below in each and every game (4-3-3).
- Karl Darlow
- Jayden Bogle
- Joe Rodon
- Pascal Struijk
- Gabriel Gudmundsson
- Ethan Ampadu
- Sean Longstaff
- Anton Stach
- Brenden Aaronson
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin
- Noah Okafor
Per Jonny Cooper of Opta, it has now been named more often than an iconic Don Revie team of legends in the 1970s.
It’s been named four times as often as Gary Sprake, Paul Reaney, Terry Cooper, Billy Bremner, Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, Peter Lorimer, Allan Clarke, Mick Jones, Johnny Giles, and Eddie Gray.
It’s a side full of some of the most famous and popular players in all of Leeds’ history but, somehow, they seldom all featured together at once. It was a game in 1970 against Mansfield Town when it was seen.
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Opta’s view of what Leeds’ exact league position should be
Having a settled team can bring rhythm and momentum, with consistency and chemistry building between the same core.
That is reflected in the underlying numbers, given that Leeds have posted some strong metrics for a newly-promoted side.
Per Opta, Leeds are 10th for xPts (expected points), which is a measure of xG minus xGA for an xGD score. That places them above third-placed Spurs, ninth-placed Sunderland, and eighth-placed Everton.
It’s incredibly impressive when you consider the fact they are above some established names. However, a consistent XI from Farke may well be playing a part in players knowing their roles.
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