Marcelo Bielsa has managed to take Leeds United back to the Premier League after the club's 16-year absence from the top flight (Getty Images)
It couldn’t have been a more challenging start to life in the top-flight for newly-promoted Leeds United, with the Whites set for a real baptism of fire ahead of a trip to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on Saturday.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side secured promotion to the Premier League as the outright winners of the EFL Championship last season, thus making a return to the English top-flight for the first time in 16 years.
Liverpool will be the favourites to kick off their campaign with all three points at Anfield this weekend but Leeds showed in the Championship last season that they are more than capable of pulling the rabbit out of the hat.
The Whites faithful will surely be waiting eagerly to catch a glimpse of new summer signings Rodrigo Moreno and Robin Koch. However, it’s highly unlikely that either of them will be handed a start at Anfield this weekend as both have been away on international duty, thus not featuring in the club’s pre-season fixtures.
Bielsa doesn’t have any serious injury concerns heading into the weekend clash against Liverpool.
The French starlet made the most of his opportunities in the Championship last season after Kiko Casilla was banned and has since signed on a permanent deal. Bielsa should, therefore, retain him as the first-choice between the sticks.
The Northern Irishman was shoehorned into a full-back role by Bielsa last term and he should be handed a start on the right.
The skipper has been an ever-present figure at the heart of the defence for the club over the past few years and he certainly deserves to start in the Premier League.
With Koch unlikely to make the cut on Saturday and Gaetano Berardi out injured, Leeds don’t have any other experienced option to partner Cooper at the back. Hence, Bielsa might as well shift Ayling to a central role.
Ezgjan Alioski was Leeds’ first-choice left-back in the Championship last season but Douglas recently started in the pre-season fixtures against Stoke City and Pacos Ferreira.
The Whites graduate has been an indispensable cog in Bielsa’s midfield over the past two years and he will certainly be high on confidence after making his England debut.
The former Wolves star didn’t particularly impress in the Championship last season but he’s one of the few players with top-flight experience.
Having impressed on loan at Elland Road over the last couple of seasons in the second tier, it will be interesting to see how the Man City winger copes with the challenge of playing in the Premier League.
The Pole was a regular starter for Leeds in the Championship last season and should retain his spot in the midfield as one of the experienced campaigners.
The Spaniard impressed in the Premier League back during his days at Swansea and Leeds will need something special from their creative genius if they are to beat Liverpool on Saturday.
With Rodrigo unlikely to start at the weekend, Bielsa should continue to rely on his top-scorer from the previous campaign.