Leeds United will be looking to firmly put last season’s play-off heartache behind them in their season opener with Portsmouth on Saturday.
The Whites kick off the new campaign at Elland Road against last season’s League One champions knowing how important a good start could be.
Many have attributed Leeds’ failure to win promotion in 2023/24 to their extremely slow start to the season, which saw them win just two of their opening seven matches.
Daniel Farke was tasked with dealing with a host of uncertainty regarding player exits 12 months ago, and while Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville have left this summer, the squad is in a better place to start well.
Leeds won all four of their pre-season friendlies and so should be full of confidence, with the likes of Georginio Rutter and Mateo Joseph looking extremely sharp.
Andy Hinchcliffe makes Leeds promotion prediction
With the Championship officially getting underway tonight, Andy Hinchcliffe is among those giving their predictions ahead of the new season.
Adam Forshaw has tipped his former Leeds side to win promotion, while Ian Holloway also believes Farke is the right man to go one better.
From the outside looking in, though, many pundits will understandably look at the sales of Summerville and Gray making Leeds weaker.
Leeds remain in the market to replace both players and speaking on Sky Sports, Hinchcliffe believes Farke’s squad is very well balanced to win promotion this time around.
Can Leeds go one better than last season losing in the Championship play-off final? They’re everyone’s favourites to get promoted, that’s easier said than done in the Championship. How are Sheffield United going to fare? They have made some very good signings.
“So I think the battle for the top two in the Championship is interesting. The battle for the play-offs is absolutely wide open. It is really unpredictable. And how are the sides that have stepped up from League One going to fare?
“Leeds are a year stronger, when Daniel Farke stepped in last season, the club was in a bit of a mess. It had been relegated. Lot’s of players were sent out on loan, we weren’t really sure how they were going to do.
“Daniel and Leeds did a brilliant job. Really, they should have probably finished in the top two. Yes they’ve lost Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville, the Championship player of the season so there’s losses there.
“But I still think you look at their squad, they have made some good signings as well. They brought in Joe Rothwell, who is a very good attacking midfielder. I look at Leeds and I think the balance is there.
“If they can keep everyone fit, they’re definitely in contention for top six, but of course they want to finish in the top two and not go through the play-offs again.
How does Leeds’ predicted XI vs Portsmouth compare with play-off final
Leeds’ XI against Portsmouth will have a slightly different look to the one that began the Championship play-off final defeat to Southampton.
As well as both Summerville and Gray, Glen Kamara has also departed this summer, meaning there will be at least three changes.
Jayden Bogle at right-back will be one of them, but perhaps the most important is Pascal Struijk’s return in defence, which will allow Ethan Ampadu to move back in midfield, presumably alongside Ilia Gruev.
Dan James is likely to be the like-for-like replacement for Summerville, while Joseph’s impressive pre-season form will see him get the nod ahead of Joel Piroe up front.
