Leeds United have started the 2025-26 Premier League season with surprising strength, currently sitting in third place. This performance brings back memories of their successful campaigns in the early 2000s. Their 4-1 home win over Newcastle United on Monday helped them maintain an unbeaten record, marking their best start to a top-flight season since the 2001-02 campaign under manager David O'Leary. Leeds have earned eight points from four games, a result largely attributed to a major tactical change by current manager Daniel Farke nearly nine months ago. Farke shifted from a back four to a back three during a crucial match against Manchester City on 29 November. Despite being down 2-0 at halftime, his team drew 2-2, though they conceded a late goal. Since then, Leeds have lost only five of their past 29 league games, a record that would place them fifth in a hypothetical league table for that period. The club’s recent success has been supported by a strong recruitment strategy. During the 2025 summer transfer window, Farke and sporting director Adam Underwood focused on signing tall players to increase the team’s physicality, which is crucial in the physically demanding Premier League. Of the 10 permanent signings, eight players are over 6 feet tall. Farke emphasized this approach in July 2025, stating that physicality was essential for a team with a smaller average height. This summer, after losing center-back Pascal Struijk to Brighton, Farke signed two World Cup players—Tarik Muharemovic from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Nico Elvedi from Switzerland—to strengthen the defense. Muharemovic has been particularly effective, playing every league minute in front of 6ft 5in England international James Trafford. Trafford became the most expensive British goalkeeper in history when he joined Leeds for £40 million from Manchester City. Additionally, Harry Wilson, who was one of the league's standout players last season, joined on a free transfer from Fulham. Leeds’ tactical shift has significantly improved their performance. Initially, the team struggled, losing eight of their first 13 league games in the 2025-26 season, which placed them in 18th position and raised concerns about their survival in the Premier League. However, the formation change improved the defense, with Leeds conceding fewer goals than most other teams in the division since the switch. This change also benefited Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored 14 top-flight goals since last December, the most among players other than Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins, and Joao Pedro. Calvert-Lewin has thrived with a proper strike partner, often playing alongside Nmecha or Okafor, who has scored seven goals and provided an assist in his past 11 league appearances. Although Farke alternates between 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 formations, Calvert-Lewin has expressed his enjoyment of having additional support around him. Leeds’ home ground, Elland Road, has been a fortress in recent seasons, with the team maintaining an unbeaten home record in 25 evening kick-offs in league and play-off games before consecutive losses to City and Sunderland in February. The 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Monday further solidified this reputation, leading to the online meme of "Daniel Farke Penitentiary" for managers defeated by Farke. While Farke has downplayed early talk of European qualification, the current form has fans dreaming of a return to the Champions League, a feat not achieved by the club in 24 years.