Dan James has warned Leeds United not to be distracted by their unbeaten start to the Premier League season as they prepare to face champions Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Leeds are one of five sides yet to lose in the top flight, having taken two wins and three draws from their opening five matches. They drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in their most recent game, after a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United.
James, who played in three of Wales’ four Nations League matches during the extended international break, expects Daniel Farke’s squad to be fully focused on their return to action.
“It is a long season. We have started well and I think it is easy to get carried away,” James told LUTV.
“But as I said, we have got tough opponents coming and we have just got to take every game as it goes. You can’t underestimate anyone in this league. Anyone can beat anyone.
“We have got a brilliant squad. Winning really helps that environment. We have made good additions to the squad to help with that, and winning games does really help drive us along and keeps us working to be better.”
It is the first time Leeds have remained unbeaten through their opening five league matches at any level since 2019-20, when they won the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa.
James said a strong beginning was a specific objective after Leeds’ slow start hindered them last season.
“We have set really set a high standard, and it is about progressing now in these next five games before the next internationals. We really want to push on,” he added.
“We have got tough games coming up, but we really believe that we can go into every game and perform.
“Last season, we didn’t quite get off to a good start. It was really that start to the season that stopped us from getting any higher in the table. We have got to keep on that.”
Arsenal began their title defence with four consecutive wins but were beaten 3-0 by Brighton in their final match before the break. Mikel Arteta signed a three-year contract extension on Wednesday.
Eberechi Eze has played 85 minutes in the Premier League this season without starting a match. The England midfielder says he is comfortable operating centrally or on the left.
“I don’t mind. They both have pros and cons and come with different challenges,” he told BBC Sport after England’s 3-0 win over Czechia.
“I enjoy both of them. I enjoy finding space and finding ways to score, assist and create things. I enjoy both, so I don’t really mind which one I play.”
Players to watch
Martin Odegaard has scored in both of Arsenal’s home Premier League games this season. With Kai Havertz injured while representing Germany, the Norway international may be Arsenal’s main attacking threat. Odegaard scored once in all competitions in 2025-26 but has already scored four times in 2026-27.
For Leeds, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored three times in his past five appearances and made two substitute appearances for England during the international break. He is one of only two players, alongside Everton’s Thierno Barry, in the Premier League’s top 10 for aerial duels won (24), runs ending in the box (33) and high-intensity pressures in the opposition half (187).
Match prediction
Arsenal have won nine of their past 10 Premier League meetings with Leeds (D1), including the last seven by an aggregate score of 24-5. Arteta has won all four of his league matches against Farke, his joint-best 100% record against a manager alongside Gary O’Neil. It is Farke’s worst 100% losing record against a manager in England.
Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton was their heaviest since May 2023, also against Brighton. Since the start of 2024, they have lost successive Premier League games only once, in April 2026; Saturday will be their 100th league match since then.
Leeds have won one of their last 17 away league games against the reigning English top-flight champions (D6 L10). That victory came at Arsenal in May 2003, when Leeds won 3-2.
Opta gives Arsenal a 68.9% chance of victory, Leeds United 13.7%, with the draw at 17.4%.
