There are just days to go until Leeds United officially end their absence from the Premier League when Everton are the visitors to Elland Road.
The Whites’ famous old home is sure to be rocking once again as the two sides meet in the final fixture of the opening weekend of the campaign - and Leeds will be hopeful they can kickstart their return to the Premier League with a win against David Moyes’ men.
Daniel Farke could hand debuts to the likes of Lucas Perri, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff after they joined the club during a productive summer transfer window - although further new additions are expected to arrive before deadline day on the first day of September.
But where are the Whites predicted to finish in this season’s Premier League table? Former Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker has had his say on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
Lineker - ‘They’re so well coached, he’s really good, I think somewhere just below halfway’
1. AFC Bournemouth - Mid-table
Lineker - ‘They’re so well coached, he’s really good, I think somewhere just below halfway’ | Getty Images
Lineker - ‘A lot will depend on Gyokeres. They could go close again but I will agree with both of you (after Richards and Shearer tipped Arsenal to secure Champions League but fall short of a title push)’
2. Arsenal - Champions League qualification
Lineker - ‘A lot will depend on Gyokeres. They could go close again but I will agree with both of you (after Richards and Shearer tipped Arsenal to secure Champions League but fall short of a title push)’ | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Lineker - ‘This is horrible, we are agreeing on everything so far. There is no reason to think they will slip from where they are. They have a brilliant coach with great energy so you can’t see that drifting away. Just outside of the Champions League spots but in a European place’
3. Aston Villa - European qualification
Lineker - ‘This is horrible, we are agreeing on everything so far. There is no reason to think they will slip from where they are. They have a brilliant coach with great energy so you can’t see that drifting away. Just outside of the Champions League spots but in a European place’ | Getty Images
Lineker - ‘Brentford is interesting, they’ve lost Mbeumo, they’ve lost Norgaard, Flekken as well. They have brought in players that are unproven - although I do like Kelleher in goal. Looks like they might lose Wissa as well and they’ve got a new coach, unproven of course because he was the set-pieces coach. It’s going to be really hard for them’
4. Brentford - Bottom half
Lineker - ‘Brentford is interesting, they’ve lost Mbeumo, they’ve lost Norgaard, Flekken as well. They have brought in players that are unproven - although I do like Kelleher in goal. Looks like they might lose Wissa as well and they’ve got a new coach, unproven of course because he was the set-pieces coach. It’s going to be really hard for them’ | Getty Images
Lineker - ‘They were up and down last season but they still finished in the top half. I think a little bit lower than last season but still in mid-table’
5. Brighton - Mid-table
Lineker - ‘They were up and down last season but they still finished in the top half. I think a little bit lower than last season but still in mid-table’ | Getty Images Photo: Getty
Lineker - ‘I think Burnley are the most likely of the three (to stay up) but if they can be as difficult to break down as they were in the Championship, that gives a team a chance. They’re in my relegated bunch but of the three they might be the ones that don’t go down’
6. Burnley - Relegation battle
Lineker - ‘I think Burnley are the most likely of the three (to stay up) but if they can be as difficult to break down as they were in the Championship, that gives a team a chance. They’re in my relegated bunch but of the three they might be the ones that don’t go down’ | Getty Photo: Nathan Stirk