The Premier League fixtures were released in the last 24 hours, with Leeds United facing a number of key games early on.
Leeds United will begin with Angus Kinnear and Everton at Elland Road, which already looks vital. Leeds’ last five Premier League opening day games have been a real mixed bag, too.
The Leeds fixture list in full is now out as of yesterday at 9.00am, and Leeds have a strong Monday Night Football record ahead of playing Everton.
Games against major rivals will be the first Leeds fans looked for, though. Secondly, they will have picked out the hardest patches of the season and December looks to be a particularly difficult month for Leeds.
James Milner scores the 2nd goal
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
James Milner is one of many former players to face Leeds again
The truth is, Leeds face numerous must-win games, given that they are expected to be battling relegation next season. However, November and December certainly looks like the trickiest run of games for Leeds to contend with.
Of course, fans are also eyeing reunions with former players. The likes of Archie Gray and Georginio Rutter will face Leeds for the first time.
Gray is just one famous academy graduate that will have to play against his boyhood club. One of the other players who will have to do that is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum in age terms.
James Milner has already featured in 23 Premier League seasons, which is more than any other player. Next year will be his 24th after signing a one-year extension with Brighton recently.
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He is also just 15 games away from matching Gareth Barry’s all-time appearance record in the competition, and 16 away from being the outright leader for appearances.
Rank Name Appearances
1 Gareth Barry 653
2 James Milner 637
3 Ryan Giggs 632
4 Frank Lampard 609
5 David James 572
Premier League all-time appearances
It got us thinking, just how likely is it that Milner manages to break that playing against the club where he made his first appearance back in November 2022 against West Ham United?
James Milner and Jermaine Pennant of Leeds United celebrate victory
Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images
How likely James Milner is to break the PL appearance record against Leeds at Elland Road
Milner played just four times last season due to knee surgery which suffered tendon complications afterwards. He is determined to keep his career going, though.
Brighton face Leeds 10 games into next season on the south coast on Saturday 1st November, meaning it is impossible for Milner to break the record in that game.
Team Appearances Goals Assists
Leeds United 54 5 2
Swindon Town 6 2 0
Newcastle United 136 11 20
Aston Villa 126 22 26
Manchester City 203 19 38
Liverpool 332 26 46
Brighton and Hove Albion 23 0 2
England 61 1 6
James Milner’s career record
Perhaps more fittingly would be achieving the feat in the reverse fixture in West Yorkshire. Milner’s Elland Road return would be the final game of Leeds’ league season at Elland Road.
They face West Ham after that but matchday 37 is in Leeds. Should Milner’s injury issues persist and he only plays 14 or 15 times prior to that, it is entirely plausible that he could break or match the record on that day.
The chances overall are unlikely, but it would be an incredibly fitting way for him to end his career. He will turn 40 in January and Leeds should have signed Milner as the perfect full circle end to his career.
As it is, they will face him two more times — in what is likely to be his final season as a professional. He has had a remarkable career of incredible longevity already, irrespective of whether he takes Barry’s place or not.