Daniel Farke has backed Leeds United to make a fast start on their Premier League return when they take on Everton.
Farke’s side secured promotion in 2024-25 with an impressive 100-point finish, clinching the Championship title ahead of Burnley on the final day of the season.
Despite losing only one game in their final 28 matches last term, Leeds are going into the 2025-26 campaign having signed eight new players, including Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United.
Leeds will have watched on this weekend as Sunderland marked their return to the big time with an emphatic 3-0 defeat of West Ham, and Farke believes a buoyant Elland Road on Monday will help the Whites get a positive result.
He said: “It’s an occasion for us to win one or three points and of course I think the atmosphere will be great, it’s the first time in a while for these amazing supporters that they are allowed to celebrate and enjoy a Premier League game.
“I think the atmosphere and the floodlights will be amazing and we want to enjoy it and the most enjoyable is when you’re there with a good performance, with a good game. Monday night, it will be just like we go out and want to be there with the best possible performance, and also with the best possible result against a really good opponent.”
Gearing up for 25/26! pic.twitter.com/7hKyzxE7rc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 17, 2025
Meanwhile, Everton kick off their first full season under David Moyes since 2012-13, with this campaign marking the club’s first at Hill Dickinson Stadium after leaving Goodison Park.
The Toffees are going into their first showing of the season having acquired seven fresh faces, including loaning Jack Grealish from Manchester City.
Moyes, though, wants more business done before the end of the transfer window.
He said: “We’re pleased with the players we’ve added to the squad, but I’m not pleased because I think I still need more. We want to continue adding to what we have. We’re short in certain areas, we’re okay in other departments, but we’ve got some good business done.
“I’ve only seen him [Grealish] for a few days here – live and close up – and he looks fabulous. He’s in good-enough shape. There are lots of good things to like about Jack. I just need to make sure I get it at the right time and make sure he’s played football, and we think he’s played enough minutes.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leeds United – Joel Piroe
Piroe played a pivotal role in Leeds’ title-winning campaign, contributing 19 goals and seven assists while featuring in every one of the club’s 46 league matches.
To replicate their success this season, Leeds will undoubtedly rely on him to deliver similarly influential performances in front of goal.
However, they have also signed former Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who could pose another threat to his old club.
Everton – Thierno Barry
The Toffees’ £27m (€32m) acquisition from Villarreal was a revelation in LaLiga last season, chipping in with 15 goal involvements in just 25 starts for the Yellow Submarine.
Everton will be hoping the France Under-21 international can replicate last season’s form, given they only scored 42 league goals last term – the lowest tally outside the bottom three.
With Grealish creating the chances behind him, Barry, who will likely be competing with Beto for a starting berth, will be aiming to get off to a fast start in English football.
MATCH PREDICTION: LEEDS UNITED WIN
Moyes has faced Leeds on 10 occasions as a Premier League manager, and has won seven of those meetings (losing twice, and drawing once). As such, his win rate against Leeds (70%) is his second-highest against any team he has faced at least 10 times, after Sunderland (71%), a team he also managed.
Everton are also unbeaten in their last five Premier League away games against Leeds (two wins, three draws). This is their joint-longest active away unbeaten run against any current top-flight club.
But they have lost their opening league match in each of the past three seasons, and Opta’s model expects that run to continue, even if Leeds have failed to win any of their last nine games in the top flight, conceding 29 goals in that run when they went down back in 2022-23.
This will be Farke’s 50th Premier League match. He has won just six of his 49 so far, and even with a victory would have the lowest win rate of any manager to oversee 50+ games in the competition (currently 12.2%).
Leeds have only won one of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Everton (D4 L6), but they ended last season by winning their last six Championship matches.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Leeds: 41.7%
Draw: 26.8%
Everton: 31.5%
