Here are your Leeds United morning headlines for Friday, August 21.
Tough start to get points on the board, says Phillips
The Premier League fixture list release on Thursday was a moment of particular satisfaction for the promoted teams, as it showed them back in the top flight and up against the biggest sides in the country.
For Leeds, that’s the case for the first time in 16 years - but Kevin Phillips doesn’t expect them to make a dream start to life in the Premier League.
Being drawn to face reigning champions Liverpool on the opening weekend, at Anfield no less, makes for an incredibly tough start for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
“Do I see it happening? Certainly at Anfield, no. Maybe if it had been at Leeds, I know there’ll be no supporters there, but possibly I could have seen them getting something,” Phillips told Football Insider.
“I just think playing the big teams, you’d rather be playing them first, second, third week of the season. When you get six or seven games in, once they start getting a little run together, then it can be extremely difficult. Never say never, but it will be extremely tough.”
The Man City deal which could impact on Ben White
Leeds have already had two offers rejected by Brighton to sign Ben White on a permanent deal, after he starred for them in the Championship last season.
Brighton have continually suggested the centre-back is in their plans, but a big enough bid might still tempt them to sell - and Paul Robinson has pointed to another deal as evidence of how much it might take.
“When we see the likes of Nathan Ake going for £41million to Manchester City, you can only imagine what Brighton are thinking and what they expect for White,” he told bookmakers.co.uk.
“Ok, the price usually escalates when Man City are involved because everyone knows they have the money to pay a premium price, but if Ake is worth £41million then White has got to be up there with a similar sort of price tag.”
Leeds’ strongest side for opening game
There isn’t a whole lot of time between now and the first Premier League game of the season, so although transfers could yet happen, it’s worth teams already knowing what their strongest lineup might be.
For Leeds against Liverpool, Beren Cross has identified what the best solution for Bielsa might be.
There are a few positions which “could be decided on the flip of a coin”, such as in goal where Illan Meslier gets the nod, but a 4-1-4-1 contains mostly familiar faces and not too much is expected to change.
Kalvin Phillips, Helder Costa and Pablo Hernandez are all in and they are the players who, as it stands, will need to have a great campaign if Leeds are to reach their objectives.
