Daniel Farke takes his Leeds United side to the City Ground on Saturday afternoon for the opening Premier League fixture of the 2026-27 season, and the selection sheet carries both excitement and a familiar tinge of frustration. Four players are unavailable. Ilia Gruev (knee), Lucas Perri (wrist), Gabriel Gudmundsson (thigh), and Mateo Joseph (injury) are unavailable, while Wilfried Gnonto sits out with a thigh problem of his own, confirmed by Farke himself in the build-up.
Predicted starting lineup of Leeds United: Defence and midfield
James Trafford, Leeds’ club-record £40m signing from Manchester City, should start between the sticks, making his competitive debut for the club. It’s a high-stakes beginning. Ahead of him, Farke should set up in a 3-4-3 shape he found significant success with through the second half of last season, and the back three picks itself almost by default.
Joe Rodon, who signed a contract extension at Elland Road this week, should line up alongside £34.1m summer arrival Tarik Muharemovic. The 23-year-old Bosnian should make his full Premier League debut, and Jaka Bijol on the left of the defensive unit. Jayden Bogle and James Justin should operate as wing-backs, giving Leeds United genuine width in transition, with Ethan Ampadu and Anton Stach sitting behind the attack as the central-midfield pairing.
Predicted starting lineup of Leeds United: Attack and key absences
Harry Wilson should earn his place on the right of the front three after signing as a free agent this summer, with Brenden Aaronson on the left. Dominic Calvert-Lewin should lead the line. It’s a front three that has Premier League experience, even if it doesn’t quite scream European ambition yet. The Gnonto absence does sting. The Italian winger had been finding his feet in the top flight before the injury.
Leeds United arrive at Nottingham having beaten Augsburg 4-0 in pre-season and going unbeaten in their last five matches of last season, so there’s form to work with. Forest, meanwhile, start life under Oliver Glasner after a turbulent campaign that saw them finish sixteenth, with new boss Glasner now deploying his favoured back-three system.
The predicted starting lineup of Leeds United suggests Farke will go with continuity rather than rolling the dice on the two newer signings immediately. And on paper, that’s a defensible call heading into what should be a tight, direct opening-weekend contest at a ferocious City Ground.
Leeds United (3-4-3): James Trafford – Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, Tarik Muharemovic – Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, James Justin – Harry Wilson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson.
