Leeds United 2019/20 fixtures - 5 things: History favours start, renewing Derby rivalry, Easter blues, Yorkshire derbies and Elland Road to finish

Here we take a look at a few of the initial key talking points:

Opening fixtures - it's a tough start... or is it?

So... the one we all wanted.

A trip to Bristol City on Sunday, August 4 awaits Marcelo Bielsa's men to open up the 2019/20 campaign. The clash at Ashton Gate will take place at 16:30 and has been selected for Sky Sports coverage.

Out of the last seven trips to face City since 2010, United's record stands at; five wins, one draw and one defeat. History is certainly on Bielsa's side.

The opening home game of the season will take place the following Saturday (August 10) with Nottingham Forest the visitors to LS11, although it seems likely that will also be selected for television coverage.

Two big games to start against sides who you'd expect to be in the mix for the play-offs at the very least, and a chance for Leeds to make a statement just as they did twelve months ago with a stunning August.

Renewing Derby County rivalries

Leeds United v Derby County, September 21

Derby County v Leeds United, April 25

Two dates for the diary as Frank Lampard's (at least for now) Derby County visit Elland Road just eight games into the new campaign in mid-September.

There will be some unfinished business for Leeds following the bad blood between the two sides last season, and how the campaign ended for Bielsa's men.

The lasting image of the Rams celebrating on the Elland Road pitch following the play-off semi-final defeat should still be strong in the memory.

We do fixtures too, you know?

Easter weekend - can Leeds break the curse?

Leeds United and Easter weekend never seem to mix.

And none more so than last season, where Bielsa saw his side crumble with back-to-back defeats to Wigan and Brentford to all but end their automatic promotion hopes.

This time around it will be Stoke City at Elland Road on Good Friday, before a trip to Swansea City on Easter Monday.

It's a tough double header, but the ghosts of seasons past can't come knocking again... surely?

Yorkshire derby dates for the diary

Barnsley - Sep 14 (A), Apr 18 (H)

Huddersfield Town - Dec 7 (A), Mar 7 (H)

Sheffield Wednesday - Oct 26 (A), Jan 11 (H)

Hull City - Dec 10 (H), Feb 29 (A)

Middlesbrough - Nov 30 (H), Feb 26 (A)

Final day home fixture

The opening day and the final day - two fixtures that always standout when you first glance at the fixtures.

This season, though, it could be a special one as Charlton Athletic visit Elland Road on the final day of the campaign.

Leeds will be hoping that there's something major on the line in LS11 at the very least, and there's also the added bonus of a visit from former midfielder Lee Bowyer in the away dugout should he still be in charge.

Leeds United's 2019/20 fixtures in full:

Sun Aug 4 Bristol City (16:30) A

Sat Aug 10 Nottingham Forest H

Sat Aug 17 Wigan Athletic A

Wed Aug 21 Brentford H

Sat Aug 24 Stoke City A

Sat Aug 31 Swansea City H

Sat Sep 14 Barnsley A

Sat Sep 21 Derby County H

Sat Sep 28 Charlton Athletic A

Tue Oct 1 West Bromwich Albion H

Sat Oct 5 Millwall A

Sat Oct 19 Birmingham City H

Wed Oct 23 Preston North End A

Sat Oct 26 Sheffield Wednesday A

Sat Nov 2 Queens Park Rangers H

Sat Nov 9 Blackburn Rovers H

Sat Nov 23 Luton Town A