Leeds vs Everton Predictions

Monday’s Premier League opener at Elland Road feels like a bigger game for newly-promoted Leeds than an Everton side looking to build on last season’s positive finish to the campaign.

 It’s two years since Daniel Farke was entrusted with taking the Whites back to the top-flight and, after falling at the final hurdle the season before, the German guided them to the Championship title last term. 

 Farke and Leeds are about to find out if the gap between the two divisions has grown during the intervening two years when every promoted club has come straight back down.  The West Yorkshire club have dipped their toes into the transfer market without making as many splashy moves as Sunderland, but neither have they been raided in the same way they were last summer.

Ndiaye well-placed to profit

Farke has addressed some of the defensive issues, particularly surrounding set-pieces, that dogged his team by bringing in a new goalkeeper and a host of very tall outfield players. And, after failing to lure Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham, he made a last-gasp trolley dash to snap up ex-Toffee Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free.

Joel Piroe will start the campaign up front with Dan James and Willy Gnonto options on either wing. Manor Solomon was arguably more penetrative than both at the back end of last season, but the former loan star remains a Spurs player. 

Everton’s big winger signing is primed to start as well. Jack Grealish will be eager to impress, but Iliman Ndiaye could be the one to take advantage of Leeds’ fitness doubt over Jayden Bogle at right-back. The Toffees also suffered an injury blow when Jarrod Branthwaite strained his hamstring in training, so they are not going to be at full strength for the trip.

Whites could settle at one

 On the face of it, it looks like being a tight game where the team that takes their chance or chances comes away with the three points. David Moyes has a great record against Leeds and will ensure his side turn up with the right attitude to play their football at a hostile Elland Road.

 If Leeds find a way to take the lead, then Farke might be tempted to sit on it and go into game management mode. His summer signings smack of pragmatism so there is more chance of that than Leeds going full throttle for a second or third goal. 

And if they go behind, you have to wonder whether the Whites have enough quality to break down a disciplined Toffees’ defence. Hence, the favoured betting option here is to back fewer than 1.5 goals for the hosts.