Leeds United are back in the Premier League after two seasons away and open their 2025/26 campaign with a visit from Everton.
Leeds know it will be a battle to keep themselves in the English top flight, and that difficult mission starts with securing a result against dishevelled Everton at Elland Road.
The West Yorkshire club have been adding quality players to their ranks to help them beat the drop, but Everton will provide a stern test of their credentials.
Speaking of the Toffees, their new era, marked by a new ownership and their move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, hasn’t started delivering on its promise.
Everton’s transfer proceedings have been slow, forcing David Moyes to press the board publicly for reinforcement following some uninspiring pre-season results.
Moyes may not have all the pieces that he wants, but this Everton side has more than enough quality to go to Elland Road and get a result, setting up a fantastic Monday night of Premier League football.
Both sides will be desperate to make a statement, with Elland Road sure to be rocking. Purchase tickets from Seatsnet.com to watch Leeds vs Everton and other Premier League matches live this season.
Match Preview
After winning the Championship with 100 points, Leeds had to decide whether to stick with manager Daniel Farke for the journey ahead.
His record in the Premier League is abominable, and the scar of last summer’s play-off final heartbreak remains in the memories of fans.
However, they opted to continue with the German tactician and handed him an enviable transfer kitty to keep Leeds from trudging back down to the second division almost immediately.
Leeds have added Anton Stach, Jaka Bijol, Lucas Perri, Sean Longstaff, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sebastiaan Bornauw, and Lukas Nmecha to the roster.
Having addressed most of their squad concerns, they look well-equipped to surprise many and avoid the drop.
Pre-season results have been favourable. Leeds have managed to hold recognised European outfits like Manchester United, AC Milan, and Villarreal to stalemates.
They will head into their Premier League opener confident they can mark this return to the upper echelon with a win.
Everton have other ideas, though. Moyes returned to the Toffees mid-last season, 12 years on from his departure for Manchester United.
The Scotsman stabilised the club, quelling relegation fears and leading the Toffees up to 13th place on the league log.
Moyes was expecting the new owners to attack this summer transfer window with purpose, but it took time for them to get going.
Everton have now added Thierno Barry, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carlos Alcaraz, Adam Aznou, Jack Grealish, and Mark Travers.
Still, Moyes wants more as he eyes a right winger, right-back, and defensive midfielder.
Even if Everton cannot get all those players, the Toffees should have enough firepower to take down the hosts and comfortably finish in mid-table despite not winning any of their six pre-season games.
The battle on Monday will likely hinge on who can win the midfield scrap, with Leeds’ new-look engine room facing its first real test against seasoned Premier League operators.
Head to Head
Everton have dominated their most recent league meetings with Leeds, winning three of their last five match-ups (D2).
The Toffees haven’t lost to Leeds at Elland Road since 2001, bolstering their confidence ahead of the clash. Everton have won six of their previous 10 league games against the hosts, losing only once (D3).
But Leeds will look to flip that script on home turf.
No team was better at home last season in the Championship, with the Peacocks securing 18 wins at Elland Road, scoring 61 goals while only conceding 12 times.
Farke’s men performed better in front of their fans, with 58% of their Championship wins coming at home.
They’ll need Elland Road to be that same fortress if they’re to make a statement on their return.
The odds are stacked against them, but with Everton looking dire in pre-season, they stand a chance if they can pull it together.
Best XIs
Leeds United
New goalkeeper Perri should get the nod in goal ahead of the error-prone Illan Meslier. Meslier’s gaffes during his time in the Premier League forced Leeds to act decisively and sign a new shot-stopper.
With Jayden Bogle and Gudmundsson on full-back duties, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk provide a steady defensive pairing, shielded by Ethan Ampadu in midfield, with Ao Tanaka and Longstaff ahead of him.
Out wide, Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto bring relentless pace to stretch Everton’s backline, while Joel Piroe, fresh off a 19-goal Championship haul, will look to punish any lapses inside the box.
Predicted Leeds Line-Up:
(4-3-3): Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu, Tanaka, Longstaff; James, Piroe, Gnonto.
Everton
Moyes will likely use trusted lieutenants and marquee arrivals for this outing, with the undroppable Jordan Pickford commanding the goal.
In front of him, Nathan Patterson, Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski, and Vitaliy Mykolenko forge a sturdy back four, while Idrissa Gueye and James Garner form a no-nonsense midfield screen.
Summer signings Barry, Alcaraz, and Grealish inject fresh attacking intent, with Dwight McNeil and Grealish supplying creativity from the flanks for Barry’s pace and movement through the middle.
(4-2-3-1): Pickford; Patterson, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil, Alcaraz, Grealish; Barry.
Ticket Information
If you want to feel the roar of the crowd and the intensity of live Premier League action, then your safest bet is to buy directly from official club websites.
However, you can also get Everton tickets from trusted resale platforms and secondary marketplaces like Seatsnet.com, which offer competitive prices and a wide selection of seats.
You can explore ticket options for every Premier League fixture, including the eagerly anticipated showdown between Leeds and Everton, and secure your place in the stands ahead of time.
How to Watch in the United Kingdom
Every kick, save, and goal of the 2025/26 Premier League season will be shown live on Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime Video.
Sky Sports will deliver the most extensive coverage with 128 live matches, while TNT Sports will screen 52 high-profile games. Amazon Prime Video rounds things off with 20 exclusive live streams.
