Leeds United: Premier League fixtures give Whites chance for a quick start

The Premier League fixtures, come out a week before their EFL equivalent and Leeds – regardless of all the conjecture about potential horror starts or finishes beforehand – are just glad to be where they are.

They will head to Anfield, Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium in 2022-23 and not Kenilworth Road, Cardiff City Stadium or the Madejski Stadium. That’s the bottom line.

Heading into the final day of last season, those Championship venues were where most Leeds followers probably thought their troubled side were destined to step out at next season and a few other ‘old favourites’ besides like Middlesbrough, Hull City and Millwall.

Instead, Leeds start a third successive campaign back in the top-flight in August as they rub shoulders with historic rivals such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Their fixtures look – in terms of opponent – standard in terms of when they land. Even decent.

For those who follow the club religiously across the land, the main animation might come when games are rescheduled at the behest of television.

United’s two longest away trips of the new season arrive first up to Southampton and Brighton. Would it be wishing too much for them both to be staged in the traditional 3pm Saturday spot?

For the first time since returning to the big time, Leeds start off the campaign at home – against Wolves. It will be their first Premier League opener at Elland Road since facing Newcastle United on August 17, 2003.

It is surely on home soil where Leeds need to show the most improvement if they are going to truly get back on an even keel in 22-23. In that regard, there is maybe a window of opportunity.

Before the break for World Cup business in mid-November, Leeds have eight home matches and host only two ‘big-hitters’ in the shape of Chelsea and Arsenal.

The main story is that they welcome the three promoted sides in Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest in that time, alongside the likes of Everton – whose away record was the second worst in the top-flight last term – and Aston Villa.

Back in 2020-21, Leeds’s home form was the seventh best in the division and none of the big six of Liverpool, Manchester City, United, Arsenal, Spurs or Chelsea won there. It was the bedrock of a fine return to the Premier League.

Compare and contrast to last season, where only two sides took fewer home points than Leeds, who have won just twice on home soil since the end of November.

United’s final game before the world’s glitterati decamp to Qatar is a trip to Spurs on November 12. They return to the field a month and a half later at home to champions City on Boxing Day. There looks to be a fair chance that Kalvin Phillips might be heading out of the away dressing room as opposed to the home one if reports are to be believed.

Finishing off the old year at an ambitious, well-heeled Newcastle side who are likely to be far more serious players in 22-23 means that Christmas won’t be straightforward for Leeds. It rarely is.

But in terms of minefields, it is hardly like playing Chelsea, City and Arsenal, which happened in a torrid week last December.

Just for good measure, Leeds were also floored after a bruising triple-whammy of big-six fixtures – and losses – against United, Liverpool and Spurs in consecutive matches in late February which proved psychologically wounding. It ended, of course, in the departure of Marcelo Bielsa.

Late April and early May saw them also face successive games against City, Arsenal and Chelsea, which all ended in defeats.

It’s hard enough facing the big six at the best of times. But taking some on one after the other increases the degree of difficulty for sure, as Leeds found out painfully last term when they lost all of their 12 matches against them.

Next season, the only three months when they face two ‘big six’ sides are in October, April and May.

It is the latter which has the look of being United’s toughest one on paper next season. But it certainly cannot be classed as brutal either.

After heading to the Etihad to start May, Leeds welcome Newcastle before heading to West Ham – ahead of finishing the season at home against Tottenham. Let’s hope it’s more benign than Spurs’ previous visit to LS11.