Yorkshire Evening Post

Leeds United’s second season back in the Premier League is off to a flyer - and stats experts Opta have delivered their first Whites verdict in their new predicted final table and points.

Leeds began their second year back in the country’s top flight with Saturday afternoon’s clash at a Nottingham Forest side who finished last season’s Premier League in 16th - two places and three points behind the Whites.

Saturday’s clash at the City Ground then looked set to end in a goalless draw but Anton Stach fired home a brilliant 88th-minute free-kick to seal a 1-0 success for Farke’s men who have now won five of their last eight games carrying on from a strong end to last season.

There were also big wins for newly promoted pair Hull City and Ipswich Town on Saturday, the Tigers beating Manchester United at MKM Stadium and Ipswich defeating Sunderland 2-1 at Portman Road.

After Friday night’s 3-0 victory for defending champions Arsenal at home to Coventry City, Brentford were Saturday’s biggest winners with a 3-0 triumph at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Everton also enjoyed a 2-0 win at home to Crystal Palace.

Sunday’s games then began with two 2pm kick-offs, one of which saw Aston Villa thumped 4-0 at Brighton. At the same time, Manchester City came from a goal down to beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad.

The day’s 4pm game then saw Dominik Szoboszlai net a 99th-minute penalty for Liverpool to break Newcastle United hearts in a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park. The opening weekend’s final game takes place on Monday night as Fulham host Chelsea.

As it stands, Leeds sit eighth in the very early standings and data experts Opta have now provided Whites backing in their first predicted final table and points.

Featuring a Sunderland shock and a big Aston Villa call, here is how they think the final standings will look.

Leeds United beat RB Leipzig 2-0 on Saturday to record their third straight pre-season victory against top-flight opposition. Daniel Farke’s side are looking sharp ahead of the 2026/27 campaign and have welcomed three top signings through the door in Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic and James Trafford.

After finishing 14th last season, there’s a real feeling of optimism around Elland Road as Leeds look to establish themselves in the Premier League. And that sense of momentum is reflected in the club’s rise as a European power according to Opta’s Power Rankings - a metric rating teams across the globe between zero and 100.

Using an updated version of those Power Rankings, Opta have collated a table of who they believe to be the world’s 100 best teams. Leeds United are in that top 30 - ahead of the likes of Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

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Manor Solomon spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Elland Road.

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Manor Solomon has opened up on his Leeds United wish with a Whites admission and an ‘unresolved issue’ ahead of the new season.

Leeds signed Israel international star Solomon on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2024 and the winger went on to dazzle as United stormed to promotion as Championship champions.

Solomon then returned back to Tottenham in the summer before ultimately joining La Liga outfit Sevilla in September on a season-long loan despite interest from Crystal Palace who looked set to land his services.

Solomon, though, speaking this week to sport5, said he wished to either rejoin Leeds or stay at Spurs, the winger saluting his connection to the Whites with particular praise for the club’s fans.

Solomon again returned to Tottenham after his loan spell at Sevilla befire being loaned back out to Fiorentina last season but the 26-year-old says he still most wants to play in the Premier League which he has an “unresolved issue”.

"I really connected with Leeds, it's a club that will always be in my heart,” said Solomon.

“I said to myself 'I've come to the right place”

“Especially the crowd, which is amazing. When I went to the first game and heard the Leeds crowd, I said to myself 'I've come to the right place'.

“At the end of the season I wanted to be at Tottenham or Leeds. The chairman talked about me, the price was high.

“We had a conversation with Tottenham before arriving for training, they said they wanted me to stay and the coach likes me and after six training sessions I got injured.

“The interest from Leeds decreased and at the end of the window, when I returned to play, the coach saw me again and I had a conversation with him because I had an offer from Crystal Palace.

“He told me he wanted me to stay. We had already left everything in London and the next day I flew to the national team. I landed and got a call from Finn.

“He was nervous and said that they had the possibility of signing a French striker, Daniel Levy spoke to him and they need to clear a player on the squad and it was probably me. I told him 'Come on, "Shut down Palace. I don't want to be in a place like this.

“There were negotiations between the teams and there was probably bad blood there and the deal fell through in the last few hours. I'm on the national team, I was done from that day on. The transfer window is over, I didn't want to stay at Tottenham. I was offended by them. When you feel like you're being pushed out, you don't want to stay in a place like this."

Asked in which league he would most like to play, Solomon said: "I have an unresolved issue with the Premier League. Even if I'm not there, that's okay.”

Former Leeds United youngster Archie Gray looks set for a big future.

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Former Leeds United youngster Archie Gray has been tipped for a shock Tottenham Hotspur promotion despite only just turning 20.

Gray was a rare shining light in an otherwise miserable 2025/26 campaign at Tottenham, with relegation only avoided thanks to a final-day victory over Everton. The youngster only started 18 top-flight matches but claimed all three of his club’s Player of the Season awards, voted for by fans.

It’s set to be a big summer of change in North London as Roberto De Zerbi shapes the squad to his needs, with reports club captain Christian Romero could be among those to leave. That would leave a huge gap in the team with a new leader needing to be selected - and Tottenham legend Harry Redknapp has tipped Gray for the role.

“I think Archie Gray would be one of the people that you look to build your team around,” he told The Standard. “He looks a fantastic young pro, good player, and over the last two years, he’s probably been their best player, I think.

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“He is, I assume, a captain of the club in the not-too-distant future. Even next year, if I was there, I wouldn’t hesitate to make him captain, even though he’s only a young kid. He could be like Ray Wilkins, who became captain of Chelsea when he was very young. He’s good enough to do that.”

The huge praise for Gray comes following an end-of-season period in which the midfielder didn’t feature much. His last start for Spurs came on April 12 and only two substitute appearances followed during the relegation run-in.

De Zerbi opted to prioritise experience in a desperate fight to survive and Gray will hope to get more opportunities under the Italian boss next season, with no such immediate threat. The former Leeds youngster will also have a full pre-season to get to grips with the former Brighton manager’s complicated tactical plans.

But like Redknapp, De Zerbi sees a future in leadership for Gray. He said in May: "He is very young, [but] big potential as a player. I think he can become the future," De Zerbi said. I am sure he can become the future of this club and the captain of this club.

"He has to understand better what will be his position on the pitch. He can play in a lot of positions, but maybe I would like him to be more specific in one position. We are working on that, in individual meetings with individual clips.”

A former Leeds United youngster has signed his first pro deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

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Former Leeds United youngster Oliver Boast has signed his first professional deal with Leeds United’s former relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Boast joined United’s Academy when he was eight years old but the forward announced last summer that he was leaving the club to start a new chapter and the teenager joined Tottenham’s under-18s as a first-year scholar.

An England youth international, the 17-year-old striker enjoyed a fine year for Tottenham’s under-18s for whom he scored 14 goals and Boast has now signed his first pro deal with the club.

A statement from Tottenham Hotspur read: “We're delighted to announce that Oliver Boast has signed his first professional contract with the club.

"Oliver, who turned 17 last month, has been a regular for our Under-18s during the recently-concluded season after arriving from Leeds United last summer, where he had been since the age of eight.

‘Scoring 14 goals along the way including a hat-trick at Birmingham City’

"Capable of playing at centre-forward or on the right side of the attacking line, he featured in all but one of our Under-18 Premier League games in 2025/26, scoring 14 goals along the way including a hat-trick at Birmingham City in March.

“He also added three more goals in our run to the semi-finals of the Under-18 Premier League Cup, taking his tally to 17 overall.

"An England Under-17 international, Oliver also made four appearances in our Under-19 UEFA Youth League campaign.

“Congratulations, Ollie!"

Taking to his Instagram page, Boast wrote: “Proud moment for me and my family to sign my first professional contract.”

Former Leeds United relegation rivals have sealed a big signing just two weeks after sealing survival.

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Leeds United’s former relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur are signing an international star following his departure from Liverpool after their final day drop escape.

Scotland international left back and captain Andy Robertson is ending nine years with the Reds in departing the club upon his contract expiring this summer, the 32-year-old becoming a free agent ahead of the new 2026-27 campaign.

Liverpool revealed that Robertson would be leaving the club in an announcement in April and Tottenham have now announced a deal to sign the defender on July 1 following the expiration of his contract at Liverpool.

“He is a proven winner at the highest level”

A statement from the club read: “We are delighted to announce the signing of Andy Robertson. A leader on and off the field, the highly decorated Scotland captain will join the Club on July 1 following the expiration of his contract at Liverpool.

Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi, said: "Andy is someone I've admired for a number of years and he will bring outstanding technical qualities, experience, leadership and mentality to our team.

"He is a proven winner at the highest level over a long period and is someone who can be a big player for us, both on and off the pitch.

"I can't wait to start working with him and seeing the positive impact he will have on everyone around him.”

Leeds United ultimately sealed a 14th-placed finish on their Premier League return - but where would the Whites have been without VAR?

Leeds were already safe with three games left after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at relegation-bound West Ham but Daniel Farke’s Whites then added more points to their haul through a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur and 1-0 victory at home to highflying Brighton.

Already safe, Leeds went into the final day holding a chance of finishing 11th but Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at West Ham meant the Whites ended up in 14th place.

West Ham meanwhile needed a win against Leeds but also an Everton victory at Spurs to avoid relegation but a 1-0 win for Spurs kept Roberto De Zerbi’s side safe and sent the Hammers down along with already relegated pair Burnley and Wolves.

Leeds ended up finishing eight points clear of the drop zone on 47 points and only six points behind eighth-placed finishers Brighton who sealed the division’s final European place With qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.

But how would Leeds have fared and what would the table have looked like without VAR?

With the season now done and dusted, AceOdds have updated their record of the Premier League this season, showing results if VAR had not been in use.

Featuring some big changes, here is the full rundown from top to bottom.

Leeds United survived their first season back in the Premier League with three games to spare - and the bookies have now had their say on where they think the Whites will finish next time around.

Leeds finished the 2025-26 campaign with Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at West Ham, a disappointing ending but in no way taking the gloss of a brilliant first season back in the country’s top flight for Daniel Farke’s Whites.

Unlike West Ham who have now lost their top flight status, Leeds were made safe with three games left after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at the Hammers but Leeds then added more points to their haul through a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur and 1-0 victory at home to highflying Brighton.

Already safe, Farke’s side went into the final day holding a chance of finishing 11th but the 3-0 defeat meant the Whites ended up in 14th place.

West Ham meanwhile needed a win against Leeds but also an Everton victory at Spurs to avoid relegation but a 1-0 win for Spurs kept Roberto De Zerbi’s side safe and sent the Hammers down along with already relegated pair Burnley and Wolves.

West Ham, Burnley and Wolves will now be replaced by Championship champions Coventry City, runners-up Ipswich Town and play-off winners Hull City in next season’s Premier League for which Arsenal will be defending champions.

As the dust settles from Sunday’s final day, the bookies have now produced their full set of odds for next season’s Premier League and, through those odds, their first predicted final table.

Based on the odds to win the Premier League, here is their first idea of how they think the final table will look.

Leeds United’s final day hosts West Ham must win to stand any chance at all of survival - and the top-flight bookies have delivered a very strong relegation verdict in the season’s final predicted Premier League table.

United’s Premier League survival was secured with three games still remaining after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at West Ham who now quite simply must beat final day visitors Leeds and hope fourth-bottom Tottenham lose at home to Everton.

Because of West Ham’s awful goal difference, they are the only two sets of results that would see the third-bottom Irons survive.

Leeds, though, despite a stack of injuries, will head to the capital on an eight-game unbeaten league run and still having a chance of finishing as high as 11th.

Ahead of Sunday’s final day, the 14th-placed Whites are two points behind Newcastle United, Everton and Fulham in 11th, 12th and 13th respectively and two points ahead of 15th-placed Crystal Palace.

Two of those teams face each other on the final day as Fulham host Newcastle, Palace at home to newly crowned champions Arsenal and Everton going to fourth-bottom Tottenham who know that a point realistically makes them safe.

West Ham would have been realistically already relegated had Tottenham taken a point from Tuesday night’s clash at Chelsea but a 2-1 win for the Blues handed West Ham a late lifeline.

The bookies now have a very strong view on who is going down and here is the season’s last predicted final table from then based on the remaining odds.

Jarrod Bowen’s West Ham side still have a chance of staying up heading into Sunday’s final day Leeds United visit.

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Jarrod Bowen has declared a Leeds United must ahead of West Ham’s potentially season-saving visit of Daniel Farke’s Whites.

Last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Newcastle United left third-bottom West Ham facing the possibility of being relegated on Tuesday night as fourth-bottom Tottenham Hotspur went to Chelsea.

A Spurs win would have sent West Ham down and even a draw would have realistically relegated the club due to the team’s far inferior goal difference.

Instead, a 2-1 win for the Blues has taken West Ham’s fight for survival to Sunday’s final day on which only a win against Leeds and Tottenham defeat at home to Everton would make the Irons safe.

It all means West Ham’s destiny is very much out of their own hands bhut Bowen says his team must now show “pride and commitment, and what it means to play for this badge” against Leeds in Sunday’s finale.

Speaking to West Ham United’s official website ahead of Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea, Bowen said :”Obviously, we need things to go our way now.

“You never want to be relying on different things and hoping for luck, but as it stands we still have an opportunity.

“Show pride and commitment, and what it means to play for this badge”

“We have to see how the game goes on Tuesday night, but no matter what, we have to turn up against Leeds next week, in our last home game of the season.

“We have to show pride and commitment, and what it means to play for this badge. The name on the front of the shirt is the most important thing, and we have to put on a performance for the supporters.

“The fans turn up week in, week out to support us. They’ve been brilliant, and we haven’t given them enough this season. We can’t give up in this situation, and whatever happens we’ll be determined to show a response next week.”