Leeds United begin their 2022/23 Premier League campaign tomorrow as they face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road.
The Whites, who finished 17th in the league last season, will be hoping for a much more impressive season under Jesse Marsch who's taking control of his first full season in charge of the Yorkshire club.
Leeds have made six summer signings including Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Bundesliga pair Marc Roca and Tyler Adams from Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig respectively. They have, however, lost the services of both Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, arguably their two best players, as they left for Barcelona and Manchester City respectively.
Wolves have only made two permanent signings this summer as they prepare for their new Premier League campaign. Centre-back Nathan Collins joins from Burnley for a fee of £21m, and South Korean striker Hwang Hee-Chan joins on a permanent deal following his loan last season.
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Leeds will be missing quite a few players for the opening game, including new signing Sinisterra. Stuart Dallas, Junior Firpo, Luke Ayling and Adam Forshaw are also absent, while Daniel James is suspended.
So who will come out on top? Can Leeds start off their season in the perfect manner by taking all three points?
Leeds vs Wolves score predicted by simulation
To run this simulation, we used FIFA 22, updating the squads with the latest transfers made in this window. Both sides lined up in their 2021/22 kits as FIFA 22 does not provide the 2022/23 ones.
We predict that Leeds will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the line-up looking as follows: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk; Adams, Roca; Aaronson, Rodrigo, Harrison; Bamford.
We predict that Wolves will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, with the line-up looking as follows: Sa; Collins, Coady, Kilman; Jonny, Dendonker, Moutinhoo, Neves, Ait-Nouri; Podence, Neto.
The only goal to come before half-time was a Pedro Neto volley past Meslier, latching on to Collins' long ball played over the top of the defence. Despite being 1-0 down at the break, Marsch's men came out all guns blazing.
Only a few minutes after half-time, Bamford equalised for Leeds and grabbed his first goal of the season. Connor Coady misplaced a pass that went straight to new signing Aaronson, and the American calmly played it through to Bamford who fired it past Sa. But, Leeds would continue their pressure and find a second moments after.
Aaronson grabbed his second assist of the game just minutes later as his cross found Rodrigo completely alone in the six-yard box. It would've been harder to miss as he volleyed the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Sa with no chance.
Jack Harrison would score Leeds' third just 10 minutes after Bamford's equaliser. A short corner saw Roca drill a ball across the box where Harrison met it, hitting it first time into the right corner of the goal.
Dendoncker pulled a goal back and made it 3-2 in the 75th minute, setting up a nervy final 15. But, Leeds would soon re-open the two-goal gap and find a fourth.
It was a hat-trick of assists for new boy Aaronson, with the youngster doing well to beat his marker down the wing and find Bamford in the box. As the ball came to the striker, he executed an exquisite scissor kick past Sa and made it 4-2 to Leeds.
Despite Moutinho firing past Mesilier in the 93rd minute, it wasn't enough to salvage a draw for Wolves. The full-time whistle blew on 96 minutes as Leeds won their opening match of the season.
Full-time: Leeds 4-3 Wolves
FIFA 22 predicts a 4-3 Leeds win over Wolves after an eventful game, with goals from Bamford either side of Rodrigo and Harrison's strikes securing the victory. Wolves did put up a fight but would be disappointed to concede four goals, especially after being 1-0 up at halftime.
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