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MOT View: Bielsa to make key change in huge call, hero drops out – Predicted Leeds XI v Stoke
Marcelo Bielsa has a big dilemma ahead of Thursday afternoon’s game between Leeds United and Stoke at Elland Road.
Stuart Dallas and Helder Costa have been ever-presents for Bielsa this season and Saturday’s game was the first they’d missed.
Both players were watching from the stands on Saturday and both are expected to be fit for Thursday’s game.
Bielsa doesn’t like to change his side but the one that beat Blackburn isn’t his usual starting XI.
So, does he stick with the side that beat Blackburn 3-1 or does he revert to the standard Bielsa 4-1-4-1?
We think it’s a bit of A and a bit of B. Barry Douglas was a hero against Blackburn but Bielsa is a huge Dallas fan. If Dallas is fit we think he comes back in.
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However, we think Harrison looks more threatening on the right and Costa hasn’t been at his best since the season resumed.
For that reason, we think Alioski will keep his place in the starting XI and Costa will stay on the bench.
This is the starting XI we expect Bielsa to put out on Thursday:
It’s very harsh on Douglas. He played like the Douglas that Leeds fans thought they were getting when we signed him from Wolves and he was rated the third-best player on the pitch against Blackburn by WhoScored.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Bielsa named an unchanged line-up.
However, Dallas has been one of the stars of the season. You’d expect Kalvin Phillips to come straight back in if he sat a game out with injury. We think the same about Dallas – if he’s 100% fit.
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