Leeds and Brentford meet at Elland Road with both sides carrying early momentum. Leeds have taken three wins from their last five league matches, Brentford have taken three wins and a draw from theirs, and the shape of this game is more interesting than the fixture list suggests. Daniel Farke has leaned into a back three, while Keith Andrews arrives with a side that looks settled after a strong opening.

Leeds' new shape

Leeds' start has been built on small but useful signs. They beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 away in the Premier League opener, with Anton Stach scoring a direct free-kick two minutes from the end of regulation time. They followed that with a 2-0 win over Forest in the EFL Cup second round, with goals from Daniel James and James Justin.

That run has come with a more clearly defined attacking setup. Leeds are expected to line up in a 3-4-3-style shape, with Stach giving them control from midfield and the front line asked to work with more width than they had at points last season. The clean sheet count is already up to two in two matches, which gives the structure a bit of credibility before a stronger opponent turns up.

Brentford's early rhythm

Brentford have made a louder start. They opened with a 3-0 win over Tottenham and followed it by putting six goals past Birmingham City in the EFL Cup second round, so they arrive at Elland Road having scored nine goals in their opening two competitive matches. Their expected XI is unchanged, which tells you the confidence level inside the camp is probably not low.

That matters because Brentford do not need to reinvent much to trouble teams. Igor Thiago gives them a direct presence up front, while James Trafford is part of a side that has already looked organised without losing its threat. If Leeds' back three is going to hold up, it needs to deal with Brentford's width and their habit of getting into games quickly.

Leeds can point to the shape of their own start, but Brentford's numbers are the cleaner warning. They have the better goal return, the more settled line-up, and the kind of opening that can make an away game feel less volatile than it should on paper. Leeds have enough going for them to make this competitive. Brentford still look the more polished side at this stage.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →