Daniel Farke reveals preparations ahead of Leeds United’s “important” Premier League opener

National World - LocalTV

Daniel Wales reports as Daniel Farke previews Leeds United’s opening match of the Premier League season against Everton, with thoughts from Lee Sobot.

Transcript

00:00With 18 of the 20 Premier League sides having made their bows in the league this season so far,

00:06Leeds United and Everton remain the only two sides to have not played their first fixtures of the campaign.

00:11But that, of course, will all change on Monday evening when the two sides face each other at Elland Road.

00:17From a Leeds United perspective, making their return to the Premier League, they'll see this game as an opportunity.

00:23Everton, despite being a huge club and having made some good signings,

00:27well, in the last few seasons, haven't exactly been setting the world on fire.

00:32Although, to be fair to them, they did end last season rather positively under David Moyes,

00:37having been in a lot of trouble at the start of the campaign under Sean Dyche.

00:41So it could be seen perhaps as a good benchmark to see exactly where Leeds are at at this point of the season.

00:48Obviously, the transfer window is not yet closed, but Leeds are still looking to make further signings.

00:54Dominic Calvert-Lewin has arrived from Everton, of all clubs,

00:57whether he makes his debut against Everton himself is, well, that's still up for debate.

01:02But it's certainly an option that Leeds United will have.

01:06Let's hear now, though, from Leeds United head coach Daniel Farker,

01:08who has been previewing the fixture for the Whites,

01:12as well as speaking about Calvert-Lewin's arrival at Elland Road

01:15and what he can bring to the side for the rest of the season.

01:18But first, let's hear what Farker had to say about the game itself

01:21and how Leeds will be preparing for it before the first whistle from the referee at Elland Road on Monday evening.

01:27Working, to be honest.

01:30So we have to prepare, of course, the group for an important opener for us.

01:35And yes, we will spend lots of time on the training ground and prepare for it.

01:42So it's also good and beneficial right now also to have a few more time and sessions on the training pitch.

01:49And for that, we stay concentrated and focused.

01:52And whenever there is a bit of time, we have also one eye on all the other games

01:55to watch a few results and a few performances.

01:57But we're mainly concentrated on ourselves.

02:00There's been quite a few reports on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

02:04What would a striker like him bring to Leeds?

02:07And can you give us an update on where that situation is at all?

02:10Yes, we have not officially announced it, but we are more or less under us right now.

02:16And it happens just in this minute, so he will support us and will be from this afternoon a member of our squad.

02:23And of course, we're all pretty happy and delighted that Dominic will wear a lead shirt from now on.

02:29Yes, so what would you like to see him do in a lead shirt when he does get that chance?

02:33What qualities can he bring?

02:37Yes, first of all, it's important and we've spoken quite honest at the Open Bowl

02:41that we're still awake on the full-back position,

02:44but especially also to add some quality in our offence on several positions.

02:50And Dominic obviously is a proven player on Premier League level.

02:56First of all, it's important also for our new signings.

02:58We want to sign players as a newly promoted side who have delivered already on a top level.

03:05Well, it's clear that Farker is happy with the signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin

03:08and the preparations so far for Everton have been good.

03:11Let's go now to Lee Sowett of the Yorkshire Evening Post.

03:14Lee thought on what Farker had to say there, especially about the match itself and where that's concerned.

03:20If Leeds are going to stay up, then obviously one team will have to drop off,

03:23but I don't think it will be Everton.

03:26Obviously, I think you'd probably summarise it pretty well and they'll probably be pretty much mid-table,

03:30but I think you're right with this.

03:31I think it's a good benchmark.

03:33I also think it's a hard game, a very hard game.

03:36Obviously, it could be harder and that's not belittling Everton in the slightest.

03:39You could have Man City or Liverpool at home or away, even worse.

03:42In terms of first fixtures, it's not too bad, but I still think it's a very difficult game.

03:48They've not set the world on fire this summer, but they've put in some OK-ish performances.

03:52I saw a bit of the draw against Man United.

03:53They've played some quite hard games, lost 1-0 to Roma in the last friendly.

03:57Crucially, let's not beat around the bush.

04:00They've just made an amazing signing in getting Jack Grealish on loan.

04:03I mean, quite how fit he'll be for the first game of the season,

04:07whether he's probably going to be on the bench, I'd imagine.

04:08But you don't know that.

04:09He's that good that he might start.

04:10So we'll wait and see.

04:11But not just him.

04:12Also, Keira Dewsbury-Hall, a player that a lot of people have got an awful lot of time and respect for.

04:17He's a very, very good player.

04:18And obviously, Tiano Barry, the striker as well.

04:20And they haven't really lost Masters of players this summer either.

04:23And you are right.

04:24They only did finish mid-table last season, Everton.

04:26But they did finish reasonably strongly.

04:28They did finish, I think it was 13th.

04:29And they ended up with, I think it was 48 points, which is 10 more than Tottenham now.

04:33Obviously, Tottenham's season was rubbish.

04:34We know that.

04:34But nevertheless, what I'm saying is for them to get where they got after the start they had,

04:38is pretty decent.

04:39So I think it's a really hard game.

04:40And I'm actually quite surprised that Leeds are favourites for this.

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