Credit: Imago/Breaking Media/Manh Tung

Chris Smith

Mon 18 August 2025 8:00, UK

Everton begin the new Premier League season with a challenging trip away at Leeds United on Monday evening.

The Toffees ended the 2024/25 campaign impressively under David Moyes, with only Arsenal (2), Liverpool (3) and Manchester City (3) losing fewer Premier League games (4) since his return.

That helped Everton finish a comfortable 13th, which is their highest placement since the 2020/21 campaign (10th), but nowhere near the standard expected by supporters.

Evertonians will have one eye on next weekend’s first official game at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton, but first, they need to return to Merseyside with a strong opening statement.

Everton predicted XI vs Leeds United

Everton have lost their opening fixture in each of the last three seasons and have endured a record of just three victories in 18 attempts in the Premier League era when opening a campaign against a newly-promoted side.

And their task hasn’t been made any easier here, with star man Jarrad Branthwaite, 23, ruled out for at least a month with a hamstring injury.

With Jake O’Brien holding down the right-back spot — especially with Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman both injured — Michael Keane will come into the middle of defence alongside James Tarkowski.

The backline is facing further issues with Vitalii Mykolenko coming off injured in a recent friendly against Roma, but he might still be fit enough to start.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall impressed in that match and should start in midfield, while Jack Grealish is an eye-catching capture from Manchester City and will provide a touch of class out wide. Expect to see him and star attacker Iliman Ndiaye switching positions with regularity.

Thierno Barry will require an adaptation period following his arrival from Villarreal, and with Beto netting seven goals in 19 games under Moyes so far, he will likely get the nod here — despite being linked with Leeds this summer.

Everton to make solid start

Everton have been languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League for four years now, but there is genuine optimism that things can improve.

The return of Moyes sparked a climb up the table and a turnaround in quality of performance last season, and while there is a lot of work left to do in the summer market, the signings of Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish and Co have the potential to level up this team seriously.

And then, of course, there is that stunning new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey, which has the potential to be one of the finest footballing venues in the country.

Now, it’s time to put all those factors together on the pitch.

Everton have a poor record on the opening day, especially against newly promoted teams. But then, they’ve lost just one of the last 11 Premier League meetings with Leeds, with the last away defeat coming in December 2001.

New players need time to gel, but there’s quality enough to grind out a draw here.

Prediction: Leeds 1-1 Everton