Leeds United

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Having had three weeks to stew on their loss to Brighton, Arsenal will be itching to get going in the Premier League again. Unbeaten Leeds United are their opponents in the Premier League on Saturday (12:30 BST) at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners were uncharacteristically out of sorts at Amex Stadium before the international break, as their perfect start to the season was ended in spectacular fashion by a 3-0 defeat. Mikel Arteta, who signed a new contract this week, will want to see his side bounce back like champions.

Leeds will pose a big challenge, though. After a summer of solid transfer business, they have started the campaign well, winning two and drawing three of their first five fixtures. Daniel Farke's side have the joint-best defensive record in the league too and will fancy their chances of springing a surprise.

Gunners to get back at it?

The 3-0 reverse at Brighton was Arsenal's biggest Premier League defeat since May 2023 against the same opposition. Arteta said it was a "big lesson", so supporters will be expecting a response.

In fairness to the Gunners, the nature of the defeat was out of sync with the defensive standards they have set under the current head coach. They only lost by more than one goal once in the whole of last season, against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

So how do they do it? They need to take more care in possession to start. Against the Seagulls, the Gunners lost possession in their own final third nine times, which was the most for them since December 2023. Leeds are second for pressed sequences in the Premier League so far this season, with 63, and will fancy their chances of potentially pinching possession back in dangerous areas too.

While so far this season teams with less than 50% of possession have won more games than teams with 50% of the ball, Arsenal have pivoted towards a controlled style of play with the ball.

In Leeds, they do at least have historically accommodating opponents. Arsenal have won nine of their past 10 Premier League games against the Whites, including the past seven by an aggregate score of 24-5.

Whites keeping it tight

Farke's side can go to the Emirates with nothing to fear, though, and will take confidence from the robustness of the squad they have assembled.

They have been superb at the back, with goalkeeper James Trafford and defender Tarik Muharemovic adding extra steel since their summer arrivals. As a team, they have limited their opponents to just 0.09 xG per shot, a tally only the Gunners can better with 0.08.

Where Leeds may also be able to match Arsenal is from attacking set-pieces. They lead the Premier League for the percentage of their shots (46.7%) and xG (41.0%) which have come from non-penalty set-pieces, with three of their seven goals coming from dead-ball situations.

Arsenal scored a massive 29 goals from set-pieces on their way to the title last season, with their inswinging corners a defining feature of their play. But five games in, Arteta's side have yet to score from a dead-ball situation.

Brighton were brilliant when they beat Arsenal before the international break - the Seagulls really harried and hassled the champions and went toe-to-toe with them.

I don't think Leeds will go about things the same way, but they will still provide a stern test.

Daniel Farke's side are really solid but also carry a big threat too, and they are a very different proposition to the side Arsenal thumped 5-0 at Emirates Stadium at the start of last season.

So, this game will tell us a lot about where Arsenal are and how they have recovered from that Brighton defeat.

I'd still back the Gunners to find a way to win, especially because they are at home, but it will be a lot closer than last time. Leeds don't concede goals as freely any more.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Noah Okafor has been explaining explained why Leeds United feels like home to him after making an impressive start to his second season at Elland Road.

The forward told BBC Radio Leeds: "I like to score and assist and to help the team. Goals are the most important thing. This feeling is something I can't describe. It is incredible to score at home games."

Since joining Leeds in August 2025, the Switzerland international has forged a partnership and friendship with Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

"I love him so much as a friend. To play with him makes me so happy. Dom gives me good advice in life. Really happy to have him in my side and in my private life," added Okafor.

So far this season, the 26-year-old has featured in seven games for Leeds, scoring one goal.

"We have good energy and atmosphere in the team. It is special on and off the pitch.

"I am really happy to have a coach like him [Daniel Farke]. He gives me freedom up front."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe has described boss Daniel Farke as "fantastic for the club" and told fans they can "look forward to many more games with him" as the Whites look to extend the German's contract beyond the end of this season.

Farke guided the club to a 14th-place finish in the Premier League last season alongside a run to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, Marathe said: "Daniel has been tremendous for us. I think the club and the city and everyone in Yorkshire has embraced him."

Leeds travel to champions Arsenal on Saturday (12:30 BST) looking to build on their unbeaten start, and certainly for improvement on last season's 5-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium.

Listen to the full chat above or on BBC Sounds here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Just five games in, it might seem a bit early to pay much attention to the Premier League table - but it's probably more settled than you think.

If we look at the Premier League after five games last season and where teams ultimately ended up, the final table was already starting to take shape as 13 of the 20 sides finished within four places of where they sat even at this early stage (65%).

Eventual champions Arsenal were second, Sunderland were already seventh - where they finished eight months later - and two of the three sides that were relegated were already in the bottom three.

The eventual champions have been in the top two at this point in the past four campaigns, suggesting - potential punishments aside - it will be Manchester City or Arsenal that lifts the trophy.

The top end of the table overall has sometimes settled surprisingly quickly in recent years. The top eight after five games in 2024-25 finished as the top eight at the end of that season (although not in the same order), while the top six in 2019-20 and top seven in 2016-17 were also in place at this early stage.

While being top after five games has not meant much in recent seasons, being bottom certainly has.

Tottenham could well be in trouble once again as the side bottom of the Premier League after five games has been relegated in six of the past seven seasons.

Being bottom this early did not used to be such a bad omen. Between 2013-14 and 2018-19, only one of the six sides that were propping up the table after five games ended up going down - Newcastle in 2015-16 - while Crystal Palace finished as high as 11th in 2017-18.

Looking at the relegation battle more broadly, at least one of the teams in the bottom three at this stage has been relegated in the past eight seasons - so one of Tottenham, Fulham and Coventry City are very likely to be heading to the Championship in May.

The pool of contestants for this season's relegation battle may already be decided too because the three sides that ultimately went down in the past three seasons were all in the bottom six after five games, which would add Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace to the mix.

The last sides to be outside the bottom six at this point but relegated were Leeds United and Southampton in 2022-23, who were both in the top half (seventh and ninth). With their teams currently in eighth and 11th place, Hull City and Ipswich Town fans will hope that is still the case at the end of this campaign.

While the season may well have barely begun, the Premier League table is already starting to take shape.

Read the piece in full here

Sophie Trifonoff
BBC Sport journalist

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 12:20 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the Manchester City verdict, Farke said: "Not my topic. My topic is football. There are more qualified people to speak on this. It makes no sense if right now everyone wants to have an opinion about this topic. There are more qualified people to talk about this. It's nothing to do with me, I was not involved in the title race during those years."

• On James Trafford's performances for England during the international break, the German manager said: "Two games, two wins, delighted for him. He's had an impressive and terrific start in the Premier League for us, and he fully deserved to get another call-up and delighted for him to have two more appearances under his belt. I was desperate to sign him, not just this summer, I'd tried before, because I'm fully convinced of his qualities as a goalkeeper and as a human being."

• Farke confirmed defender Joe Rodon is on his way back from injury after individual training sessions but will be unavailable for Saturday's match against Arsenal.

• Fellow Welshman Daniel James will also be out for Saturday's game after sustaining a back injury during the international break with Wales.

• Jean-Matteo Bahoya returned from the France camp with an ankle strain, but "looks way better" the Leeds boss said. "We have to wait now to see how his body reacts but it seems like there is a chance that he's available, at least there's some progress," he added.

• Harry Wilson has returned to team training after his muscle injury but will also be monitored before the weekend.

• Farke has said his side are the "underdogs" going into Saturday's fixture but he says it will be a "good chance to show how far Leeds have come".

• On Leeds' league position, Farke said: "It's not coincidence that in the last 10-11 months we are the fifth best team in the Premier League in terms of points. We haven't won the lottery to be in fifth, it's not coincidence that we are unbeaten after a very impressive start to the Premier League."

Hit play above to hear more from Farke or listen on BBC Sounds here

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news.

Image source, Getty Images

A number of Premier League clubs want Manchester City to be hit with both "retrospective punishments" and sanctions for the future for their mass financial rule-breaking, sources have told BBC Sport.

An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City have appealed against the verdict, while the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is poised to look at the findings to see if there may be any suggestions of potential misconduct.

However, there is said to be a consensus among a group of top-flight club executives that if City's appeal is unsuccessful, the sanctions should make reparations for the period when they broke the rules, while also limiting their powers in future.

There is also a feeling from at least four Premier League boardrooms that a "one-hit" points deduction resulting in relegation to the Championship would be an insufficient punishment given the severity of City's wrongdoing.

Read more on what rival clubs want

Image source, Getty Images

On the latest Don't Go To Bed Just Yet episode, BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan and Adam Pope answer more of your questions on the Whites.

Harry Gray is the next in line to make waves in a Leeds shirt as he tries to continue the Gray dynasty at the west Yorkshire club.

However, one fan on the podcast believes the Whites should let the 17-year-old leave.

"I have seen this before when players have been brought into a certain point of a club's evolution and it is a massive leap," Pope responded.

"It is almost immeasurable the leap up from being good in the Championship, to then staying in the Premier League."

Unlike his brother Archie, who developed with Leeds in the second tier, the younger sibling - who is currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday - has got to work his way into a competitive Premier League side at his parent club.

"I understand the fear there. If you have got the talent and the drive, which I think Harry has, then I think there is every possibility he comes back and he is a part of Leeds United going forward. He is really, really young," added Pope.

Gray has featured in six games for the Owls this season, but has yet to get on the scoresheet.

The young forward made his first senior debut under Daniel Farke during the 2024-25 campaign, when the German boss substituted on the then 16-year-old in Leeds' 6-0 win over Stoke City in the Championship.

"I think it is great that he has had this time at Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday," Pope continued.

"Carrying the weight of the Gray name, he is fine, he has got big shoulders. It is absolutely fine.

"They have grown up around it all with the Gray name, which is a positive thing. I don't think it is an issue. Harry has got a lot of personality as a young guy.

"That is why he wanted to go out and play football. Fair play, back your talent. He will come good."

Listen by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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After three weeks without a game Leeds United are counting down to being back in Premier League action.

On the latest Don't Go Back To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan and Adam Pope still have some unanswered questions to go through before the trip to the Emirates.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Leeds United content on BBC Sounds

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Unbeaten Leeds United look every inch an established Premier League team in their second season since promotion, with boss Daniel Farke sticking to the formula that took them to an impressive 14th-place finish last term.

The Yorkshire side have prioritised recruiting players with outstanding physical attributes since going up, and that approach has continued to pay dividends in the early weeks of the campaign. Farke's side have won more duels, made more interceptions and completed more headed clearances than any other team.

They have also been one of the league's most direct sides and the most reliant on dead-ball situations, with more than 40% of Leeds' expected goals total this term coming from set pieces - the highest proportion in the top flight.

When Leeds do threaten from open play, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is usually at the heart of it. The rejuvenated striker ranks third in the league for open-play xG, and signing him on a free transfer in August 2025 increasingly appears to be a masterstroke.

He has scored 17 Premier League goals since the start of last season - a tally bettered by only four players, none of them English. The 29-year-old has also won 24 aerial duels this term, the league's third-highest total, and ranks third for pressures applied in the final third.

Barcelona and Inter Milan are two of the top European clubs tracking 23-year-old Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic, but Leeds United have no intention of selling their £34m summer signing from Sassuolo. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

In the final part our Q&A with BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope, he addresses the Whites' attack, as well as Farke's contract and substitutions.

John asked: Do you feel we have identified a back-up striker to either bring in during the January window or as a free agent?

Adam: It is a niche market as far as the club are concerned.

Managing director Robbie Evans confirmed this to us: "The number of players who are good enough to play in the league, willing to fight for their spot or be a back-up, a good fit to our target profile and style of play, and worth a long-term commitment financially, is a very, very small list."

So, if they could have landed someone, I think they would have, but I do not see it as being an essential element of the strategy going into January. If something did happen to either Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Lukas Nmecha, then the emphasis switches, but then you would be looking at a main striker again.

Image source, Getty Images

John asked: Will Farke's contract be finalised soon?

Adam: I remain confident an agreement will be reached. I believe time pressure is not as much of an issue as many feel.

Ultimately, both parties are in strong positions. Farke's stock is high and the club is performing well on many fronts with him at the helm of the football side.

There seems to be an alignment, including working together for a decent expenditure on players over the summer.

Andrew asked: Do you understand the frustration of how long it takes Farke to change things? It's not just this season, we've left so many points on the pitch during his tenure.

Adam: When we've asked about this in the past, Farke has said there is a science or methodology behind what he does with his substitutions.

Sometimes it's not to break up the rhythm of what he feels is going well. I can think back to several occasions when he has been very adventurous from the bench in going for the win.

Also, towards the end of last season, in March, Farke's average time for the first substitution (not forced by injury) was 66 minutes, which was six minutes sooner than the Premier League's average of about 72 at that time. So perception is not always accurate.

However, I know at Chelsea it felt frustrating when players were on the sidelines waiting to come on and the opponent scored.

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds

In the second part of a special Q&A, BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope looks at potential next homegrown Elland Road stars and why Daniel Farke doesn't use academy players consistently in his team.

Gary asked: Out of the under-21s, who do you think will be the breakthrough player in the first team?

Adam: I was impressed with Rory Mahady, Freddie Lane, Harvey Vincent and Callum Mills at Barnsley in the 4-3 EFL Trophy win.

In most cases I would expect a loan spell before any sort of progress towards the first team squad where Alfie Cresswell, Rhys Chadwick and Jayden Lienou have at least appeared on the bench.

Chadwick, I thought, performed really well filling in at left-back in the pre-season friendly against Manchester United at Croke Park when Lienou was ill.

Image source, Getty Images

David asked: Why do we not use our young talent? The academy players are not getting a chance and are looking elsewhere for game time. If we're not going to use these players, why are we wasting money on the academy?

Adam: The academy is there to supply and develop players for the first team, but the leap to the Premier League is huge from that level of football.

Generational talents like Archie Gray are rare, so I think its sensible to send youngsters on loan with a view to coming back.

Also, by giving them EFL experience and real competitive football, they are also more valuable if they are to be sold and not assimilated back into the fold.

Come back to this page later on Friday for the third and final part of the Q&A, which will focus on Leeds' attack and Farke's substitutions.

We asked you to send in your questions for BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope to answer. In the first of a three-part Q&A, he addresses Wilfried Gnonto's future under Daniel Farke and squad depth.

Stuart asked: What's happening with Gnonto? Is he still in Farke's plans?

Adam: It's hard to see where Gnonto fits into Farke's set-up any more, especially with him going back to Italy to play for Fiorentina on loan.

He had started to make an impact off the bench during pre-season, but in terms of the starting pecking order, Gnonto seems way down the list.

First, Harry Wilson is the star attacking signing, then Brenden Aaronson has regularly played ahead of him and, more recently, Dan James is being adapted to a wing-back role.

When you also consider Noah Okafor occupies the left side too, with Jean-Matteo Bahoya now on board as well, that's a lot of players to climb over.

Also, if Gnonto plays regularly in Serie A, then he has a chance of reclaiming his place with Italy under Roberto Mancini, who gave Gnonto his senior international debut four years ago.

Image source, Getty Images

Luke asked: Does the club feel comfortable with squad options if Dominic Calvert-Lewin or James Trafford get long-term injuries?

Adam: When we spoke to managing director Robbie Evans recently, he was clear about the policy surrounding Calvert-Lewin.

"There was no desire at all this summer to find a striker who was going to compete with or take over for Dominic's spot," he said.

"It was never going to be a number-one striker this summer for us. I know there was talk about adding a striker back in January, and that's a different topic. But as of this summer, it would have been a supporting role only."

Evans added that Leeds are "two deep at striker depth with the guys we have" - Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

He also mentioned how hard it is to find a supporting striker, especially when the team is designed around a focal number nine.

Come back to this page on Friday for parts two and three of the Q&A, which will look at subjects including Leeds' breakthrough players, Farke's use of academy products and the German's contract situation.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League has opened a Pandora's box of problems which cannot be closed. However well-intentioned, however morally upright they mean to be, the way the product is perceived around the planet by fans will be negatively affected.

This looks like a gigantic mess, but could also become a bit of a joke, especially if they attempt to rewrite history, and change the winners' names on the Premier League and cup trophies over these past 15 years. I wouldn't want the engraver's job.

I believe financial rules brought in to prioritise financial sustainability were also aimed at limiting the money being spent by the clubs, especially the staggering, ever-inflating sums spent on sometimes fairly average players. It could lead to a de facto salary cap, which many fans would approve of.

The long-term problem for the league is easy to see here: if the top players are then offered significantly more money to play elsewhere, they will be off before you can say 'man on'.

I always thought the Premier League had taken a huge risk going down this regulatory road. As with Manchester City's future, nobody knows what the real long-term ramifications will be.

I have a suspicion it could end up being the greatest own goal in the sport's entire history.

The big take: If City are cast out of England's top leagues, what might the owners do – hang around the lower reaches, or find something else? Wasn't there the idea of a Super League? Keep that thought in the back of your mind.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Most of the time it is not that big a deal if you go into the international break having just lost a club game if I am honest, as teams lose games frequently.

That is just the life of a professional footballer. You have to be able to cope with disappointment as an individual and as a team.

‌Admittedly, players will sometimes say that they want another domestic game quickly, but it is almost always specifically after a 'bad' defeat as opposed to just a run-of-the-mill loss.

‌However, if the team has genuinely played terribly, or lost a game they were expected to win comfortably, you will commonly hear the phrase "we want to have a chance to get back out there and put it right quickly".

‌Players who have had a stinker, even if their team won, might also want to get out again as soon as possible to put it right in front of their fans, or 'reset'. The 'reset' argument is just current football jargon to say, "we will try to get it right next time, and we blew it this week, sorry".

‌The international break can also have the beneficial effect of taking your mind away from a bad defeat. This is not to say that you don't care, it is just that you must compartmentalise your thoughts and feelings. Footballers are among the best at this.

‌You simply cannot go to play for your national team and spend the time brooding about what happened against Brentford last week. That way lies madness and another poor performance, only this time in front of the entire nation.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

As Leeds United fans wait for the Whites' return to the Premier League after the extended international break, their number one, James Trafford, was given the opportunity to represent England against the world champions Spain.

Although Trafford conceded three goals in his second start for his country, he became the third Leeds goalkeeper to don the Three Lions on his chest in a senior international, after Nigel Martyn and Paul Robinson.

But, does Trafford deserve his start ahead of Jordan Pickford?

On the latest Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix suggested Pickford, aged 32, is "getting a bit old, so at some point you have got to think about the plan for the future".

"I thought Trafford made some good saves. His ex-Man City colleagues hung him out to dry with a couple of bad passes. I don't think he was at fault for anything," added Rix.

After Trafford proved his worth at the Under-21s European Championships, England head coach, Lee Carsley said: "Wherever he goes and wherever he plays, he's got a really top mentality."

However, when you have England's most capped goalkeeper at major tournaments standing in your way, opportunities are few and far between.

Before Trafford's first England start in March 2026, the 23-year-old spent 15 consecutive games on the bench.

"When Pickford came in, it was his feet that were good, but Trafford looks a level above. It is just his manner; it is just chill," said Rix.

The former Man City shot-stopper is expected to start again for England against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, which will give Tuchel another chance at forging the competition he desires between Pickford and Trafford.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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The extended international break has Leeds United players scattered across the globe, but BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast continues.

In the latest episode, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix discuss James Trafford starting in goal for England, whether European football will return to Elland Road and if Daniel Farke's side are on course for 68 points.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Leeds United content on BBC Sounds

Leeds United have no plans to sell Wales defender Ethan Ampadu, despite links with his former club Chelsea. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you to rate Leeds' start to the season and tell us what Daniel Farke should be focusing on during this extended international break.

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: For the most part, solid. We've looked good in parts - sometimes excellent - but we've also been outplayed a couple of times. The Arsenal match is a proper litmus test. On the strength of that start, I think 10th would be fine in May.

Paul: Tough to score against and capable of running all over any opposition when we're 'on it', but still have me chewing my neck with some daft moments. Let's get some real consistency and avoid those horrible results where we lose our concentration and we could be looking at a respectable finishing position - even Europe.

Michael: It's been a solid start and the team looks like a team. They will run through walls for each other and they all know how the team ethic works. I would advise all those barking up the European tree to calm down - another year of consolidation is required.

Billy: Great start. The team are looking well organised with a decent bench to call upon - unlike last season. I'm not getting carried away too soon, though, because this is Leeds and anything can happen - but credit to Farke for the job he's doing.

Omar: Can't really ask for more. Undefeated, very few goals conceded and everyone looking sharp and fit. Thankfully we have a (very, very) decent goalie. The Crystal Palace draw felt like a let down, but that should remind us to be humble and also that survival remains the utmost priority.

Chris: Absolutely buzzing after the first five games. There will be testing times ahead and with no natural goalscorer to back up Dominic Calvert-Lewin, there will be concerns. That being said, hopefully a good, top-half finish is on the cards. European nights back under lights of Elland Road would be magical, but maybe next season might be one season too early?

Leeds United have got off to a strong start in the 2026-27 Premier League campaign, picking up nine points from the opening five games.

It's a return that has left them sitting in fifth, level on points with fourth-placed Brentford, for the three-week international break.

So what questions do you have about the Whites? They could be on the squad, injury concerns, Daniel Farke's tactics, the boardroom or a topic of your choice.

BBC Radio Leeds reporter Adam Pope will be on hand to answer a selection next week.

Get in touch with your question here

As we enter the season's first international break, we want to hear your thoughts on the opening five games of the Premier League.

Leeds have yet to be beaten in the league as Daniel Farke's men make a good start in their bid to solidify their place in the top flight. Two wins and three draws mean Leeds sit fifth and feeling buoyant about the campaign ahead.

Farke's side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup, but the Whites look like a side capable of giving any team in the Premier League a game.

How do you rate Leeds' start to the season and why? And what should Farke be focusing on during the extended break?

Get in touch with your views here