Leeds United visit Liverpool on Saturday, the scene for their first match back in the Premier League in 2020. So, where are the Whites’ XI that lost 4-3 in a thrilling season opener now?
Marcelo Bielsa took his Elland Road natives to Merseyside in September 2020 to raise the curtain for the top-flight campaign. The Argentine had led Leeds back to the big time that July as Championship winners. The West Yorkshire outfit spent 16 years in the lower tiers.
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Leeds looked every bit like a Premier League team as they pushed a Liverpool side that had just won the top-flight title. Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison – stars of the Whites’ second-tier triumph – all shone at Anfield. They emphasised Bielsa’s fearless style.
Leeds looked every bit like a Premier League XI at Liverpool in September 2020
Liverpool led Leeds three times but needed an 88th-minute penalty from Mohamed Salah to start their defence with three points. The Egyptian’s strike from 12 yards out completed his hat-trick, as well. He had broken the deadlock after just four minutes from the penalty spot.
Phillips fed Harrison, who produced a perfectly placed low shot, to equalise on 12 minutes. A mistake from Virgil van Dijk, who had restored Liverpool’s lead, then handed Bamford an opening to equalise again. Yet a rocket from Salah saw Liverpool go into the break in front.
Mateusz Klich would not let Liverpool stay ahead for long, though, as the Poland midfielder perfectly brought the ball under control before volleying past Alisson Becker. Yet it would all be for nothing when a reckless foul from substitute Rodrigo gifted Salah another penalty.
Leeds more than merited a point during their first game back in the Premier League at the defending champions, Liverpool. Jesse Marsch will now hope he oversees the Whites’ first point at Anfield since 2001 when his Elland Road team travel to Merseyside this weekend.
Only one of Leeds’ meetings with Liverpool since returning to the Premier League has not ended with a Reds win. The Whites held Jurgen Klopp’s team to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in April 2021. A 6-0 loss in their last visit to Anfield preceded Bielsa’s firing four days later.
So, where are the Leeds XI that lost a thrilling season opener at Liverpool 4-3 in the club’s first fixture back in the Premier League now? HITC Football looks back at Bielsa’s line-up…
Illan Meslier (GK): Bielsa bought a star as Leeds returned to the Premier League
Illan Meslier completed a permanent £5m transfer to Leeds after helping the Whites gain promotion whilst on loan from Lorient. The 22-year-old could now make his 101st outing for the Elland Road outfit at Anfield on Saturday. He has played 84 times in the top-flight so far.
Luke Ayling (RB): Captained Leeds in Bielsa’s first Premier League XI at Liverpool
Luke Ayling captained the Leeds XI at Liverpool in Bielsa’s first Premier League fixture as a manager. The 31-year-old has been at Elland Road since 2016 after joining from Bristol City for just £200k. He has gone on to register 224 appearances across all competitions to date.
Robin Koch (CB): German had a horror moment on his Whites debut
Robin Koch made his Leeds debut in Bielsa’s XI that lost at Liverpool after securing a £13m move from Freiburg. But the towering German did not get off to the perfect start. He gave the Reds an early penalty for handling the ball from Salah’s shot, which the winger scored.
Pascal Struijk (CB): Bielsa’s centre-half is now Marsch’s left-back
Pascal Struijk is a centre-half by trade and featured in the core of Bielsa’s backline in 2020 at Anfield. But Marsch has had to rely on the 23-year-old as a left-back so far this term for the Whites. The Dutchman is now keeping Junior Firpo out of their XI after his knee injury.
Stuart Dallas (LB): Northern Ireland star has been at Elland Road since 2015
Stuart Dallas has been at Elland Road since 2015 when Leeds signed the Northern Ireland star from Brentford for £1.5m. The 56-cap dynamo has gone on to amass 267 games in all competitions. He has also proven to be extremely versatile with outings across the pitch.
Kalvin Phillips (CDM): Manchester City signed the Leeds product in July
Phillips ensured Liverpool did not lead for long over the opening exchanges as his pass split the home defence open. Harrison collected the midfielder’s ball and he made light work of beating Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez. Phillips also went close to scoring late on.
The Leeds product curled a 30-yard free-kick inches wide of the post with the score locked at 3-3. Phillips recorded 14 goals over 234 first-team appearances at Elland Road across all competitions. The 26-year-old joined Manchester City this July for £45m on a six-year deal.
Helder Costa (RM): Leeds have loaned the forward to Al-Ittihad with a buy clause
Helder Costa did not have a great deal of influence in Leeds’ 4-3 defeat at Liverpool in their first match back in the Premier League. But the Portuguese winger floated the low ball into the Reds’ box that found Klich to score. He was one of five Whites players inside the area.
Leeds spent £16m to buy Costa from Wolves in 2020 after securing promotion, having had the 28-year-old on loan initially. He is now on loan to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, though. The Daily Mail also reports his move includes an option to be made permanent next year.
Pablo Hernandez (CM): Leeds icon is still playing at 37 with Castellon
Pablo Hernandez is still playing at 37 years old and is a key presence in Castellon’s team in Spain’s third-tier. He joined the Orelluts in 2021 after leaving Leeds as a club legend for his Championship efforts. The Spaniard left with 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 outings in total.
Mateusz Klich (CM): Poland midfielder scored one of his 24 Leeds goals at Liverpool
Klich executed a perfect shot to draw Leeds level for a third time at Liverpool from Costa’s cross in 2020. The effort marked one of the Poland midfielder’s 24 goals across 191 games for the Whites in all competitions. He has also laid on 21 assists in West Yorkshire to date.
Jack Harrison (LM): Leeds finally bought the forward from Manchester City in 2021
Harrison’s strike in Leeds’ first game back in the Premier League at Liverpool in 2020 is one of 29 goals the 25-year-old has in 177 outings for the Whites. He has also laid on 25 assists after spending three years on loan from Manchester City before an £11m transfer in 2021.
Patrick Bamford (ST): Leeds will hope the striker can rediscover his 2020/21 form
Bamford took advantage of a rare mistake by Van Dijk to pull Leeds level for a second time in 2020. The centre-half made a hash of clearing a long ball over the top, with his attempt falling to Bamford. The striker then produced a tidy chip to counter the Dutchman’s strike.
Leeds will hope Bamford can rediscover the form he showed during the 2020/21 term. The 29-year-old hit 17 goals and eight assists in 38 games that season. But he only managed to play nine times last term due to injuries and fitness problems have again risen this season.
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