Leeds United have waited 16 long years to return to the Premier League and Marcelo Bielsa’s side will get a very clear reminder of what they are now up against when they face champions Liverpool at Anfield in Saturday’s season opener.
Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated the Premier League last season, winning their first domestic league title for 30 years by a massive 18-point margin from Manchester City.
Leeds won the second-tier Championship by 10 points to secure their long-awaited promotion and are entering the top flight on a high, though it is a pity that their fans will still not be able to support their team in person.
While the Yorkshire club have work to do to re-establish themselves in the Premier League, the fixture brings back memories of great clashes between the clubs in the early 1970s when they were among the top teams in the country.
That period included a memorable Charity Shield game in 1974 when Kevin Keegan and Billy Bremner were sent off after punches were thrown at Wembley.
Pressing rather than punching is likely to be the order of the day on Saturday and it will be fascinating to see Leeds, with their new Spanish striker Rodrigo, play their high-energy approach against Klopp’s similarly relentless attack.
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