TEAM NEWS
Leeds United are set to be without eight players for their Premier League opener with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
In addition to the suspended Dan James, Leeds will also be without captain Liam Cooper, Junior Firpo, Adama Forshaw, Luke Ayling – who scored the winning goal at Molineux in March – Luis Sinisterra, Stuart Dallas and Mateusz Bogusz.
Wolves have a few injury problems of their own, with Nelson Semedo, Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez out for the trip to Elland Road.
MATCH FORM
Leeds have brought in five new first team players. Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca, Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra and are expected to bring in more before deadline day.
Leeds have also faced some good standard of opposition over the summer, including Premier League teams Aston Villa and Crystal Palace on their Australia tour. Leeds drew 1-1 with Palace and lost 1-0 with Danny Ings scoring the winner from the penalty spot.
Wolves have as we know been much quieter on the transfer front only bringing in Nathan Collins and signing Hwang on a permanent deal. Wolves also have our only striker Raul Jimenez out with injury for a few weeks.
Wolves pre-season has not been as demanding as Leeds with the planned US trip cancelled at late notice but they did get a 1-1 draw against Sporting CP and a 3-0 win over Besiktas.
PREDICTED LINE UP
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BRUNO LAGE
Here are the key lines from Bruno Lage’s news conference:
As expected, Raul Jimenez is definitely out of the fixture: “Everyone else is fit. Training was good today and everyone is ready to play.”
He simply wants his project at Wolves to progress this season: “Our goal this season is to improve on what we did last year and play good football. That’s the main target.”
He is aware the squad lacks depth but urged patience: “We don’t have enough players yet but that’s normal. I don’t just want any player – I want those who are ambitious and can improve the team. I am confident when the transfer window closes we will have a squad everyone can be proud of.”
He spoke of his “massive respect” for Conor Coady: “He is one of the best people I know in football. He’s still my captain. We have been working on playing with a line of four this pre-season and I’ve got six who can play in the defence.”
On the future of Morgan Gibbs-White: “We have rejected bids for Morgan because he is an important player for me and for the dynamic we are building. He is happy. His work every day in training shows me that.”
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Leeds United and Wolves meet in the first match of a league season for just the second time. In the only previous encounter in 2012-13 in the Championship, Leeds won 1-0, while Wolves went on to be relegated.
- Wolves are unbeaten in four away league games against Leeds United, since a 2-1 defeat in April 2016 in the Championship.
- Wolves have only failed to score in one of their last 13 league games against Leeds, a 1-0 home loss in October 2016.
- Leeds earned four points from two 90th-minute goals in this Premier League fixture last season. They drew 1-1 at home and won 3-2 at Molineux.
Leeds United
- Leeds United preserved their top-flight status last season courtesy of a 2-1 win at Brentford and Burnley’s home loss to Newcastle United.
- They have lost their opening Premier League match in both seasons since returning to the top flight, conceding nine goals in defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool. They were previously unbeaten in 14 opening day matches in the top flight.
- Leeds haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 12 Premier League home games.
- They let in 79 Premier League goals last season, equalling Wigan Athletic’s competition record for goals conceded by a team that avoided relegation.
- They have won just one of their last nine league fixtures at Elland Road (D2, L6).
- The Whites have picked up 15 points in their 12 Premier League games under Jesse Marsch (W4, D3, L5).
- The 101 yellow and three red cards awarded to Leeds last season set a new Premier League record for one campaign.
Wolves
- Wolves’ defeat to Leicester City last season was their first on the opening day in six Premier League campaigns (W3, D2).
- They could lose successive opening day fixtures for the first time since 2005.
- They are winless in seven Premier League games (D2, L5), the longest run of any team.
- In last season’s Premier League, only eight goals were scored in the first half of Wolves’ 19 away fixtures (six for, two against).
- Wolves have not kept a clean sheet in nine league matches.
- Since Wolves returned to the top flight in 2018, Conor Coady has played in 151 of the club’s 152 Premier League matches, only missing a 1-1 home draw against Southampton on 23 November 2020.
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: ROBERT JONES
ASSISTANT: LEE BETTS & IAN HUSSIN
FOURTH OFFICIAL: MICHAEL OLIVER
VAR: JARRED GILLETT
ASSISTANT VAR: NEIL DAVIES
MATCH info
The match kicks of Saturday 6th August, 3pm at Elland Road.