YEP Jury: Liverpool v Leeds United big match predictions

ANDY RHODES

The time has come for Premier League football and, somehow, it still doesn’t feel real.

Tomorrow, Leeds will play in the top flight for the first time in 16 years, back when there was no Facebook, no iPhone, and no sign that the Whites’ exile would last nearly two decades.

It’s been a long time coming and Leeds will be given a true baptism of fire.

To say that playing the champions away from home will be tough would be an understatement, as newly-promoted Norwich found out last season in a 4-1 defeat.

However, Leeds haven’t come this far to roll over and, while Saturday’s odds are stacked against them, they will know they are in a good position with Marcelo Bielsa at the helm.

He will continue to show loyalty to his promotion-winning players and, with them having such a good understanding of Bielsa’s tactics, they will surprise people this season.

This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, and while tomorrow might be a reality check, we can all enjoy the ride.

Prediction: Liverpool 3 Leeds United 1.

DAVID WATKINS

Can Leeds make a statement to the Premier League that ‘United are back’?

Had this been any normal pre-season with ample time for our new boys, Rodrigo and Koch, to settle in and gain the benefit of a few weeks of guidance from Marcelo then I’d have been confident we could. But there has been nothing normal about this short break since our glorious Championship win and, with our marquee signings coming so late and with the Nations League claiming so many of our likely 1st XI, it’s hard to know what to expect.

The players who turned out in pre-season games at Stoke and against Pacos Ferreira who will likely feature at Anfield looked sharp; Ayling, Harrison, Bamford, Costa and Hernandez all had good moments. But, with Meslier, Cooper, Dallas, Alioski, Klich, Phillips and the two new signings all away, it’s a worry we may not be prepared.

Having said that, Bielsa had a difficult pre-season last summer, with half the team in Australia and we still started like a train. Me, I fancy a surprise point!

Prediction: Liverpool 0 Leeds United 0.

KEITH INGHAM

Well after 16 years away, Leeds step out at a virtually empty Anfield to start their first competitive game in the Premier League.

It’s been a productive summer, signings wise. Rodrigo a record signing to play up front and a very-well-thought-of young centre-half called Robin Koch that could be a headline writer’s dream – or nightmare.

The Under-23s have also had numerous players through the Thorp Arch entrance.

It’s the champions of last season’s Premier League against the champions of the Championship. Klopp versus Bielsa so it should be a fascinating match between the two sides.

I’ve seen many great games between the two teams, the 5-4 defeat at Elland Road the season Leeds were last promoted from the old Division Two stands out, as does the trip to Wembley in 1992 where Leeds were the winners 4-3 at the old Wembley Stadium.

There is plenty of rivalry between the two teams that stretches back to the days of Bill Shankly and Don Revie.

With not much training done as a group this week owing to the international games, I can see Leeds lining up with only Koch a change in the starting XI replacing Brighton’s Ben White.

Meslier should start in goal with Ayling, Cooper and Dallas, at left-back. New England international Kalvin Phillips should be in front of the defence with Klich, Costa, Harrison, Hernandez in midfield with top scorer Pat Bamford leading the line.

New signing Rodrigo may be among the eighteen.

It’s a hard game to start with, but there will be no easy games and the best I can hope for is that Leeds start their 2020/21 season with a good performance.

My heart says draw but head sees a defeat with honour.

Prediction: Liverpool 3 Leeds United 1.

JACOB STARR

It’s almost upon us. The day Leeds United officially compete in the Premier League.

And, let’s be honest it couldn’t be a more difficult start, travelling to the home of last season’s winners who have been one of, if not the best team, in world football throughout the last two campaigns which also involved a Champions League triumph.

However, it is not a fixture we should be worried about; it is one we must relish and enjoy (despite having to watch behind a screen) as who knows what might happen?

I am expecting the Whites to play without fear and certainly have the potential to spring a surprise or two.

Multi-million-pound summer signings, Rodrigo Moreno and Robin Koch, will add the vital next step of quality to the squad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Marcelo Bielsa sticks to those who got us in this position for the season opener.

The two new additions featured on international duty, so have barely had any time to get up to speed with Bielsa’s intense style.

That’s something Kalvin Phillips knows so much about, which is one of the factors behind his deserved England debut on Tuesday night.

A proud moment for all Leeds fans.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Leeds United 1.

MATTHEW EVANS

This is not how we envisioned a return to the Premier League.

Instead of the M62, the familiar click of the turnstile and an exuberant display of triumph in Anfield’s away end, we fans will be where we were in July – shut out. Now we don’t even have the option of LUTV. Matches being exclusive to Sky and BT subscribers mean those of us used to travelling home and away are in danger of being forgotten.

For now, football exists only in the world of the armchair fan and I’m sure that’s what certain people have wished for ever since 1992. Following United with the same level of zeal as before March 2020 seems almost futile but there’s still those habits of checking transfer news, arguing about kit colours and, when you forget we won’t be there, the idea of a Premier League opener against Liverpool is as exciting as it gets.

Our aim for the season is probably just to stay in the Premier League so that supporters can enjoy it properly again. But we couldn’t have been given a harder start and I predict a difficult evening in front of the wireless.

Prediction: Liverpool 3 Leeds United 0.

MIKE GILL

It is stretching reality to believe that the Premier League fixture selection system is a totally random process.

Champions v champions.

That looks good enough for the Saturday evening slot on Sky. Anyway, what does it matter? This is the perfect start for United because, for most sane people, it is a game which holds zero expectations for the Whites.

However, proper football supporters are not totally sane. Fanaticism is what brings the enjoyment and madness runs in the Leeds United family.

The first game of any season is notoriously difficult to predict under any circumstances. This one is impossible.

Seeing our makeshift team turn in a performance against Pacos de Ferreira which was so well drilled as to be almost robotic was also comforting.

Comforting because it should reassure those who are fretting about whether our expensive new signings will start or not.

Whatever happens, Leeds have earned the right to be at Anfield and give it their best shot.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Leeds United 2.

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