Leeds United vs Everton: Premier League Preview

Venue: Elland Road, Leeds
Date: Monday, 18 August 2025

Elland Road will be buzzing this week as Leeds United mark their return to the Premier League with a high-stakes clash against Everton. The historic ground, known for its fierce atmosphere, will welcome back top-flight football after Leeds’ emphatic Championship title win last season.

Leeds United: Back Among the Big Boys

Leeds stormed their way back to the Premier League in 2024/25, finishing with a remarkable 100-point tally under Daniel Farke. It was a season of dominance, built on a free-scoring attack led by Joël Piroe, with Daniel James and Manor Solomon providing speed and flair on the flanks.

Farke has insisted that promotion was only the first step—his aim now is to ensure Leeds don’t repeat the yo-yo pattern that has defined many promoted clubs. Summer recruitment has reflected that ambition. Midfielder Anton Stach and goalkeeper Lucas Perri were brought in to strengthen the spine, while experienced additions like Dominic Calvert-Lewin give the squad a harder edge.

Still, Leeds’ recent record against Everton is grim: just one victory in their last 11 Premier League meetings, and none in the last five.

Everton: Building Again Under Moyes

For Everton, this campaign carries heavy significance. After years of battling near the bottom, the club is determined to re-establish itself in the top half. David Moyes, back in charge since January, has already overseen a dramatic defensive turnaround. Under his watch, Everton tightened up considerably, finishing the second half of last season with an improved record and a far stronger goal difference.

Moyes has leaned on what he knows best: structure, discipline, and defensive organisation. But there’s also been a sprinkling of creativity added this summer, with Jack Grealish arriving on loan, alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz. It’s a blend designed to provide both steel and spark as Everton look to climb back toward European contention.

This season is also symbolic for the Toffees: it’s their first full campaign in the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a landmark move that the club hopes will usher in a new era of stability and ambition.

Head-to-Head and Key Context

• History: Everton have had the upper hand in recent years, with Moyes losing just once in ten league encounters against Leeds.
• Leeds’ Objective: Survival and stability, proving their promotion wasn’t a one-off.
• Everton’s Objective: Rebuild credibility, with eyes on a top-half finish and possibly a European push.

What to Watch

• Can Leeds’ new signings give them the defensive backbone they’ve often lacked in the top flight?
• Will Everton’s reinforced backline under Moyes blunt the energy of Elland Road?
• Can Jack Grealish rediscover his spark in new colours?

The clash has all the ingredients of an early-season marker: one club fighting to prove they belong, the other determined to restore lost stature.

Score Prediction

Our Prediction: Leeds United 2–2 Everton