Leeds United are days away from their opening Premier League game. They are set to host Everton at Elland Road on Monday night as the famous stadium gets ready for the return of top-flight football after two seasons in the Championship.
Daniel Farke’s men won the Championship last season to gain promotion to the Premier League and have signed seven new players since then to bolster their squad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will become the eighth new face once he completes the formalities of his fee transfer move.
Leeds hope to add more forwards to their squad before the window closes on September 1st, but Farke and his players are focused on getting their Premier League season underway at Elland Road on Monday night.
The Whites are one of the favourites to get relegated this season, and given the performance of the promoted teams in the Premier League in recent years, Leeds are facing an uphill battle to stay in the top flight in the next nine months.
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Richard Keys backs Leeds United to survive in the Premier League
Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland are the early favourites to go down, and resemble what Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton did in the Premier League last season.
However, Keys believes Leeds have a decent chance of survival in the Premier League as they may be good enough to get enough points at Elland Road to keep themselves alive.
The veteran broadcaster is also a fan of Daniel Farke signing big physical players this summer and feels they will be strong in set-piece situations at both ends of the pitch.
“I’m giving Leeds a chance for a number of reasons”, Keys wrote on his blog.
“On the field, they might just be able to muster enough points at Elland Road to survive. It’s a hostile place to go and should give them a platform to work from. I like that Farke has been buying ‘big’.
“He’s got giants in his team now, realising set-pieces at both ends are so important.”
Leeds still need more players before the window closes
The Whites looked solid against more than decent opposition during pre-season, but there was one thing missing from the team.
Leeds looked lacklustre and bereft of ideas in the final third, and Farke has stressed the importance of adding to their forward line before the end of the window.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will soon join, but Leeds need one more striker, a winger and an attacking midfielder before the end of the window.
Leeds will need to add more goals to their squad, and their ability to find the back of the net regularly could end up deciding their fate in the top flight next season.
I really hope Keys is right but tbh he doesn’t know his @rse from his elbow