Leeds United's fixtures for the 2022/23 Premier League season have officially been released, with Wolves, Southampton and Chelsea their first three opponents.
Leeds managed to secure their Premier League survival on the final day of the last season with a win away to Brentford, in what was a tough season overall for Jesse Marsch's side. With some new signings added to the squad and key players returning from injury, Leeds will be hoping for better luck in the upcoming campaign.
The Premier League announced the official fixtures for next season at 9:00 AM BST on Thursday, June 16, 2022, and Leeds have a fairly good start to the season on paper. The Whites start the season at home to Wolves on August 6, whilst their first match against rivals Manchester United falls on September 17.
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So, how could Marsch's side perform in these games next season, and what will their standout results be? To try and predict the future, we simulated their entire 2022/23 season to try and see where Leeds could finish in the Premier League next season.
Leeds United's 2022/23 Premier League fixtures simulated
To complete this simulation, we used Football Manager 2022 and updated the game with the latest teams, transfers, and most importantly, the updated fixtures for the 2022/23 season. Let's see how Leeds faired in some of their games next season.
Opening game: Leeds 4-0 Wolves (Saturday, August 6, 2022)
Leeds had a dream start to the 2022/23 season in the simulation, with Marsch's side claiming a 4-0 win over Wolves at Elland Road. The 4-0 victory is Leeds' biggest Premier League win since May 15, 2021, two seasons ago. A Patrick Bamford brace along with goals from Kalvin Phillips and Rodrigo secured the win for Leeds. It also proved to be Leeds' biggest win of the season.
Biggest shock: Crystal Palace 3-0 Leeds (Saturday, October 8, 2022)
Compared to last season, Leeds were able to avoid any major losses, with the biggest defeat coming against Crystal Palace in October. The simulation predicted that it wouldn't be a good day for Marsch's side with two goals from Wilfred Zaha and another from Will Hughes handing Leeds the 3-0 win.
Derby days: Manchester United
In the 2022/23 season, Leeds got the better of their fierce rivals Manchester United, picking up four points against Erik ten Hag's side. In the first meeting between the two sides, Leeds managed to come from two goals behind to claim a 3-2 win at Old Trafford.
After Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho sent the home side ahead, goals from Phillips, Bamford, and a winner from Tyler Roberts saw Leeds beat United in the league for the first time since 2002. The reverse fixture saw the two sides draw 0-0 at Elland Road,
Final game: Leeds 2-3 Tottenham (Sunday, May 28, 2023)
A rollercoaster season came to an end for Leeds at home against Tottenham, but they couldn't see out the campaign with a win as they were beaten by Antonio Conte's side. Despite a brace from Bamford who ended the season on 15 goals in the league, Spurs scored three to win 3-2.
So, where did Leeds finish in the Premier League? Was it another relegation battle, or did Leeds improve and surge up the table?
2022/23 Premier League final standings
Leeds managed 16 more points than their previous season in the 2022/23 simulation, tallying 54 points and finishing ninth in the table. It was a major improvement on last season, with Marsch's side winning 16 of their 38 games.
Overall, according to Football Manager 2022's Premier League simulation for the 2022/23 campaign, Leeds could improve immensely in the 2022/23 season, jumping up the table and finishing in ninth place. With the likes of Bamford and Phillips getting full seasons under Marsch along with the new signings, Leeds could prove to be a tough side to face.
Would you be happy with these results for Leeds next season? Let us know in the comments below!
