Depending how the next few seasons pan out, maybe we might look back on the Class of ’22 as something special. Leeds United will certainly hope not.
Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest hold the dubious distinction of being the last teams to win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League – in 2021-22 – and actually stay there. It is something Leeds want to emulate.
But Forest, Bournemouth and 2022 champions Fulham, who host Leeds at Craven Cottage on Saturday, did more than just that. The Whites are looking to emulate that too, but first things first.
Forest will be in this season's Europa League. Andoni Iraola's heavily Marcelo Bielsa-influenced Cherries finished only two places behind in last season's Premier League, ninth.
Eleventh-placed Fulham had the most modest season of the three last term, but it was a high bar. They looked down on FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, on traditional clubs Everton and West Ham United, plus Europa League finalists Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
They stand alone as the last team promoted to the Premier League not involved in a relegation battle since.
So when Leeds manager Daniel Farke studied what it takes for newly-promoted clubs to survive in the top-flight, the Cottagers will have featured very highly.
The 2022-23 season was the sixth in a row Fulham spent yo-yoing between the top two tiers yet they now feel established under the shrewd management of former Hull City coach Marco Silva.
ROCK SOLID: Leeds United have invested heavily in defensive players, such as left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson (Image: Jack Thomas/Getty Images)placeholder image
ROCK SOLID: Leeds United have invested heavily in defensive players, such as left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson (Image: Jack Thomas/Getty Images)
“I think the gap between Premier League and Championship is wider now than at the time they went up,” stresses Farke, with the top division now working to a new, bigger domestic television contract. “I don't want to comment too much on an individual club but generally the sides who are promoted due to a top defence find it a bit easier to adapt in comparison to the sides who were winning Championship games 6-3.”
By that reckoning, Burnley are the best equipped of the Class of ’25 to stay up, but despite 95 goals scored, Leeds do not fall into the second category. Their 30 conceded in 46 games was second only to the Clarets' astonishing 16.
Equallly, Farke is not lulled into a false sense of security by the goals Leeds scored in the Championship, which is why he wanted two more attackers on deadline day, which his club did not deliver.
Aleksandar Mitrovic's 26 and 43 Championship goals in Fulham's last two promotion seasons translated into three and 14 in the following Premier League campaigns.
BUCKING THE TREND: Marco Silva has kept Fulham clear of relegation battles since they returned to the Premier League (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)placeholder image
BUCKING THE TREND: Marco Silva has kept Fulham clear of relegation battles since they returned to the Premier League (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
“That was one of my key topics, to not over-estimate the offensive power you have at Championship level because when you compare that to Premier League sides it's not that outstanding,” argues Farke.
“You have to concentrate on a really strong defence and being good in terms of defending. The newly-promoted sides capable of doing this always have a chance to stay in this league.
“Also (Leeds looked at) which type of player we wanted to recruit – the age of the players, the state of the players. (To have) players who are proven at a special level instead of too many 'project' players who haven't played in a top level was quite important to me.
“Fulham also invested in real quality when they came up – look now at the options and quality they have. Marco is doing a fantastic job and I'm not surprised any more that they are able to play such a fantastic season and even against the top teams they are so often really competitive.
STUDIES: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has looked at how promoted teams have fared in recent Premier League seasons (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)placeholder image
STUDIES: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has looked at how promoted teams have fared in recent Premier League seasons (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
“I wouldn't say we'd try to copy them because every club is a bit special and a bit different, in a different situation when you go up.
“There are many things to like but that doesn't mean we travel in fear.”
That is an important message Farke never tires of repeating this season: stronger defensively should not equal negative.
“The importance of being rock solid at the back doesn't mean we just concentrate on parking the bus, otherwise we wouldn't have dominated the game against Everton,” he points out. “We won't sell our DNA.
“The focus is a bit more on details.
“For example, when we build up we perhaps have one player more behind the ball to control the counter-attacks better, or are even more switched on when we lose the ball to come back a bit quicker.
“It was always important to add individual quality to our offence, it was not like we just needed to strengthen the defence and hope for some help from the boss on high.”
If Leeds can emulate the Class of ’22, it will be done on more than a wing and a prayer.