Six talking points as Leeds United's 2020/21 fixture list is released

Opening day trip to Anfield

After 16 years away you just knew it wasn't going to be a quiet return to the Premier League for the Whites.

Leeds United's reward after ending their Football League nightmare is a season opener against reigning top flight champions Liverpool on Merseyside.

Marcelo Bielsa will take his team to Anfield on the weekend of September 12 as the curtain is raised on the new campaign for the two clubs.

Jurgen Klopp's outfit will begin their title defence against the second division champions in what is sure to be a highly anticipated affair.

Bielsa v Pep

Pep Guardiola won't have to wait long at all to take on his coaching mentor.

Manchester City are due to travel to Elland Road on October 3 which comes just four games into the season.

Guardiola is a huge admirer and disciple of the Whites head coach and just last month was praising the job he has done in West Yorkshire.

"It will be incredible for English football to have him in the Premier League next season," he said.

"He has done an exceptional job. He is unique in world football because of the special way he plays.

"I learnt a lot about his style, his final product. He's an incredible person, so special."

Manchester United

The two fixtures Leeds supporters will have immediately looked for after the opening day; Manchester United home and away.

The Whites will have to wait until December 19 to take on their old foes at Old Trafford while the return fixture is set for April 24.

Leeds will renew rivalries with the Red Devils in league action for the first time since 2004 and the clash at Christmas will be a tasty one.

Stop crying Frank Lampard?

After the Spygate saga and play-off defeat to Derby County in Bielsa's first term, United's games against Chelsea will take an extra edge this season.

Frank Lampard is now in charge at Stamford Bridge and will go head-to-head with Leeds on December 5 in the capital.

The reverse clash is set to take place on March 13 in LS11.

Bielsa has enjoyed a strong spell of dominance over Lampard but was on the wrong end of a 45 minutes to forget at Elland Road, as the Rams ended the club's promotion hopes over a year ago.

Tensions were heightened between the two after a member of the Argentine's coaching staff was caught spying on a Rams training session earlier in the campaign.

A busy festive period

Six games await Leeds in December with the festive period a hotbed for Premier League football.

Burnley will visit Elland Road on Boxing Day, and fans will be hoping that the stadium is at least partially open by the turn of the year.

April is tough

Nothing says welcome to the Premier League like a run of games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Leeds have just that in April after an opening fixture of the month against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United.

A trip to face Guardiola will be followed by the visits of Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Elland Road.

It's what the Whites have dreamed about for 16 years, but it is a run of games that will test Bielsa and his men.