World News – GB – Leeds must now show a different quality starting with Clash of Wolves

Leeds United return to the Premier League on Monday night against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road, looking to maintain their superb start to the campaign

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In their first four Premier League games, Leeds United have faced various assessments

As the season opened at Anfield, they felt the full extent of Liverpool’s attacking prowess while leaving their mark on the champions in a thrilling 4-3 loss

Fulham provided a different challenge, although Leeds seemed to have overcome it comfortably, taking a 4-1 lead before the Cottagers’ mini-recovery resulted in another 4-3 score

A more grainy display was needed to face a hotly contested Yorkshire derby as Patrick Bamford’s late header sawed Sheffield United at Bramall Lane last month

Then, before the international break, it was time for Marcelo Bielsa to engage in an exciting tactical battle with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City The match ended 1-1 with Leeds drawing applause for the way they weathered an early storm before falling two points behind last season’s finalists

Now Bielsa is preparing her troops for a series of intriguing games starting with tonight’s meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road

It will be the first of four straight games against sides considered to be among the Premier League’s deadliest counterattacking units, with Aston Villa, Leicester City and Crystal Palace by the November international break

Wolves set to pose a considerable threat tonight Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who have finished seventh in each of the past two seasons, are set to settle into a 3-5-2 or 3-4 counter-focused system -3

In their last away game, a surprise 4-0 loss to West Ham United, Santo opted for a 3-4-3, packing his side with plenty of pace and power with Adama Traore, Pedro Neto and Raul Jimenez in the lead and Ruben Vinagre and Nelson Semedo in the rear winger positions

Last time in a 1-0 win over Fulham, Traore was abandoned with Daniel Podence coming to his partner Jimenez in attack, and with Romain Saiss preferred at left-back as Neto moved onto the pitch alongside by Ruben Neves and Leander Dendoncker

Leeds must stop Wolves’ ability to overload large areas As Matt Doherty, a key attack threat on their return to the top flight, has moved to Tottenham Hotspur, Semedo has plenty of ‘company on the right flank

Vinagre or Marcal, another summer signing, should provide a similar level of effort on the left

Given Leeds’ aggressiveness and high energy level during the early stages of matches, Bielsa will have to be wary of the potentially devastating impact of Traore coming off the bench if the Spain international is ruled out from the Santo’s XI, he should stretch Leeds defense if he is introduced in the second half

Wolves will offer a revealing glimpse into how Leeds deal with teams who are sometimes willing to sit down deep and launch counter attacks during quick transitions

Leeds will almost certainly face a similar style against a rejuvenated Aston Villa, which are the only Premier League side to lose a point yet Villa have shown their brilliance during the break in recent weeks, tearing Liverpool apart in a 7-2 win before toppling Leicester thanks to late winner Ross Barkley last night

Barkley, who joined Villa on loan from Chelsea, instilled a sense of urgency in Villa The 26-year-old made an immediate deal with Jack Grealish and new signing Ollie Watkins, giving Dean Smith’s men a real advantage in the last third

This was evident in Barkley’s winner against Leicester as he drove down the middle before recovering John McGinn’s pass and shooting past Kasper Schmeichel from afar

Leicester and Palace also have some of the league’s most formidable attackers at the break, namely Foxes duo Jamie Vardy and counterattack specialists Harvey Barnes and Eagles Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend

Palace, in particular, appear content to allow their opponents to dominate possession, averaging just 31% of the ball in their first five games, according to Opta They pack a considerable punch when they do, however. throw forward, as evidenced by their 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford with Zaha, Townsend and Jordan Ayew proving too hot for Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof

The next four matches will certainly provide a harsh assessment of Leeds’ defense, with new signing Robin Koch recovering from his shaky debut at center-back to impress in subsequent matches

Koch is expected to retain his place alongside Liam Cooper, if the Scotsman was in good shape, at the heart of Bielsa’s defense with Diego Llorente in doubt after being injured in international service with Spain

Kalvin Phillips, who accompanied his Premier League debut with a breakthrough in England, will have considerable work on his hands when Leeds miss the ball in the next four games The 24-year-old will be crucial for stopping breaks, whether by winning an effective ball or simply killing the other team’s momentum with a tactical foul

Leeds have faced Liverpool and City before.The you-attack-us-attack model is playing in their strengths, but in the weeks to come they will be forced to show their skill and management at stake as they come together. prepare for a quartet of matches against four of the best counterattacking machines

Leeds United, Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Marcelo Bielsa, EFL Championship, Nuno Espírito Santo