Leeds United have received a major vote of confidence ahead of their Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace at Elland Road on Sunday, with BBC pundit Chris Sutton praising Daniel Farke’s work and several key players after an impressive opening to the campaign.
The Whites have made an unbeaten start to life back in the Premier League, collecting eight points from their opening four matches. With two victories and two draws, Leeds currently sit third in the table behind Arsenal and Manchester City.
That strong beginning has created a growing sense of belief around Elland Road, particularly after Leeds produced one of their most impressive performances of the season by defeating Newcastle United 4-1 on Monday night.
Farke’s side were aggressive, organised and clinical throughout the contest, ending Newcastle’s unbeaten start in emphatic fashion. The performance has also raised expectations ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Crystal Palace.
Sutton has been particularly impressed by the progress made under Farke and believes the German manager has demonstrated why he deserves the opportunity to lead Leeds forward.
“I think I am in love with Leeds boss Daniel Farke. What a guy,” Sutton said on BBC Sport.
The former Premier League striker highlighted Leeds’ victory over Newcastle as further evidence of the progress being made under Farke.
“We were talking about him on the Monday Night Club before Leeds walloped Newcastle, and only idiots question whether he is the right man to move the club forward now,” Sutton added.
For Sutton, the organisation Leeds have shown at both ends of the pitch is one of the biggest reasons for their encouraging start.
New goalkeeper James Trafford has quickly made a positive impression, while defender Tarik Muharemovic has also attracted praise for his performances since arriving at Elland Road.
Sutton believes the additions have strengthened a Leeds side that already possesses plenty of attacking energy.
“Leeds are so well organised at the back with new goalkeeper James Trafford, who is an upgrade on last season, and a new centre-half I like too, in Tarik Muharemovic,” he said.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been another major talking point.
The experienced striker has made a strong impression since joining Leeds, with his fitness, movement and physical presence providing Farke with an important focal point in attack.
“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is flying up front, as well. He is fit, motivated and a real handful, which is another reason I can’t see past a Leeds victory,” Sutton said.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, arrive at Elland Road still searching for consistency under new manager Pierre Sage. Their early-season form has left them under pressure to produce a response, but Leeds will enter the contest with considerable confidence.
Another pundit, Ally McCoist, also believes Leeds have enough quality and momentum to secure another victory.
Speaking on TNT Sports, McCoist pointed to the intensity of Leeds’ performance against Newcastle as a major reason for his optimism.
“Yes, they do, because I think they have got something,” McCoist said when asked whether Leeds should be expected to beat Palace.
“You look at that performance against Newcastle, the momentum, the way they played that game, on the front foot, aggressive.”
McCoist went as far as predicting a 3-0 victory for Leeds if they can reproduce that level of performance.
The challenge for Farke will now be ensuring his players maintain their intensity while dealing with the expectations that come with their impressive start.
Leeds have already demonstrated that they can compete with established Premier League opposition, and Sunday provides another opportunity to strengthen that belief.
The Whites also enter the fixture with an impressive record across the 2026 calendar year. Their points tally has placed them among the Premier League’s strongest performers during that period, further underlining the progress being made at Elland Road.
A repeat of last season’s 4-1 victory over Palace would certainly increase the optimism surrounding Farke’s squad.
With an unchanged starting XI reportedly possible, Leeds could once again rely on the combination of Trafford’s presence behind a developing defence, Muharemovic’s physicality in central defence and Calvert-Lewin’s attacking threat.
There could also be further positive news surrounding the club away from the pitch, with Calvert-Lewin reportedly pushing for an England recall.
Meanwhile, another Leeds player is reportedly attracting attention from the national-team setup, adding another layer of excitement around the club.
For now, however, the focus remains firmly on Crystal Palace.
Leeds have built momentum, confidence and belief during the opening weeks of the season. Sunday’s clash represents another opportunity to turn that promising beginning into something even more substantial.
With Sutton expecting a Leeds victory and McCoist predicting a 3-0 scoreline, the pressure and expectation will be firmly on Farke’s side to deliver another convincing performance at Elland Road.
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