Wales international Daniel James marked his 68th appearance for his country with an 11th goal, showing his predatory instincts to latch onto a low cross and fire home an equaliser for the Dragons on their way to an eventual 2-1 victory over Norway.

Our 2024/25 Player of the Season featured three times for his country over the extended international break as he continues to pick up “good game time”, building on a start to the new campaign with the Whites that has brought five outings in all competitions and a goal in the EFL Cup win at Nottingham Forest.

“It was really good,” the 28-year-old exclusively told LUTV, discussing the last few weeks away with his compatriots. “It was great to get away. We are in a very tough group and I think we performed well. After the first two games we were disappointed. Portugal, we played alright and I thought maybe we could have got something out of the game. But Norway, playing in Cardiff back at our home, I thought we performed brilliantly and had a great win.

“We are in a difficult group and it was about performing to our best. I think it was always going to be tough to compete with those teams but I thought we did well and we have still got two really big games in November.”

Prior to next month’s return meetings with Norway and Portugal in the Nations League, attentions return to club football with Daniel Farke’s side still unbeaten after the opening five fixtures. Nine points from those leaves United fifth in the Premier League standings, building on an impressive second half of last campaign and productive summer transfer window.

“We wanted to go into this international break in the best place we could,” he added, reflecting on the first batch of games. “We have set really set a high standard and it is about progressing now in these next five games before the next internationals and set ourselves goals because we really want to push on. We have got tough games coming up but we really believe in ourselves that we can go into every game and perform.

“I think last season we didn’t quite get a good start. We finished really well but we didn’t quite start well. Obviously, from December onwards we were absolutely brilliant. But it was really that first start of the season that stopped us from getting any higher in the table. We have got to keep on that. There is always going to be times where, you know, we don’t win a game but we have to reflect and believe going into every game that we are going to get something out of it.”

Prior to the weekend’s meeting with Arsenal, the Whites are one of five teams yet to taste defeat and have conceded the joint-fewest goals this term. Despite Leeds’ rich vein of form, results across the Premier League week in, week out serve as the greatest warning against complacency, in what James believes is the world’s most competitive division.

“It is a long season. We have started well and I think it is easy to get carried away. 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 keep working to be better.”

Saturday’s visit to the capital to face the reigning champions will be a serious challenge for the Whites, though one that promises to provide a good litmus test for United who will face the best of the best. The Gunners lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time under boss Mikel Arteta in May and also missed out on Champions League glory after a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

The previous visit to the Emirates was one to forget for United but the forward is confident the side have learnt their lessons from that afternoon and have it in them to return to West Yorkshire with all three points.

“A team like Arsenal, who have done so well over previous years, we haven’t had great results against them but, you know, that is something that we want to challenge ourselves to [change]. They are a great team. It is going to be a really, really tough game but we all know that as players, it is up to us to go and perform on the day.

“The belief is definitely there. In this league, anyone can beat anyone on the day and that is up to us. We know what we have to perform to our max. We can’t be any less than that. If we are performing at that level then there is always a chance.”