Everton will look to continue their winning ways in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez when the Toffees make the trip to Elland Road as they face Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United.
Leeds made an abysmal start in their opening of the new 2021/22 Premier League season after receiving a 5-1 humbling against arch-rivals Manchester United.
However, that has not muddied the thinking of Sky Sports pundits Neil Mellor and Jeff Stelling, who have backed Leeds to bounce back against Rafa Benitez’ new-look Everton side.
Stelling predicts Leeds to win 1-0 on Saturday, with Mellor opting for a moderately more favourable 2-1 defeat [Sky Sports].
Conversely, other notable pundits in Chris Kamara and Laura Woods both opted for a 1-1 stalemate in Yorkshire to be played out between the two sides.
Read Everton Verdict
Considering it is only their second season back in the Premier League since the early 2000s, Leeds is very much a team on the ascendency and should not be underestimated.
Their ninth-placed finish on their return to the top flight is a far greater sampling of what Bielsa’s side is capable of, and their 6-2 defeat in last season’s Old Trafford visit indicates their struggles against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side is more of a one-off.
Conclusively, Bielsa’s Whites should not be underestimated.
Indeed, Everton suffered a 1-0 defeat in the equivalent away trip last season in further proof of Leeds’ potential potency against Everton.
However, Everton’s bright second-half turnaround against Southampton presented bountiful cause for optimism – and that should spur on the fans and players alike into a confident assuredness going into Saturday’s clash.
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