Leeds United announcement turns fear into confidence ahead of Nottingham Forest clash
Daniel Farke has named his starting 11 to face Nottingham Forest, and there is one notable boost.
Leeds United welcome Nottingham Forest to Elland Road on Friday night, in a game that may prove to be one of the biggest of the season, given what is at stake.
Both sides sit level on points, just six above the drop zone, and with West Ham set to face Burnley on Saturday, a win for either side could be huge.
However, after Farke revealed his starting 11 for the game under the lights, a sense of relief will be felt at Elland Road.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin fears subdued by new announcement
Deadline day saw plenty of rumours at Elland Road, many of them revolving around new signings.
In typical Leeds fashion, none of those links came to fruition, and the Whites were left empty-handed in their search for a new striker, despite pushing hard for the signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen.
However, away from all of the transfer talk, rumours also emerged of a potential injury for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, sparking immediate fear in regard to Leeds’ survival chances.
The Englishman has scored nine of Leeds’ 31 league goals this season, showcasing how vital it will be to keep him fit.
And thankfully for Leeds, those rumours have been squashed after Calvert-Lewin was named in their starting 11 for the clash with Forest.
It’s a major boost for the Whites to have their top scorer fit for what could be a decisive encounter come the end of the campaign.
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Leeds United also boosted by returning duo
Jaka Bijol has been out of action for Leeds since their FA Cup victory over Derby back at the start of January.
The Slovenian defender suffered a hamstring injury, which has forced him to sit on the sideline for Leeds’ last three Premier League encounters, of which they have only won one.
However, Bijol has been named in the Leeds squad for their encounter with Forest, which will be a big boost for Farke, with Lukas Nmecha also on the bench.
Leeds looked a much better side with Bijol alongside Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon, and the hope will be that he can play a crucial role in the games to come.