Jamie Shackleton axed as Daniel Farke makes decision on key injury-doubt trio – Confirmed Leeds United XI vs Leicester City
Daniel Farke’s confirmed Leeds United starting XI for the trip to face Championship leaders Leicester City at the King Power has been released by the club.
Archie Gray has returned to the line up at right back with Jamie Shackleton dropping out entirely while Junior Firpo is present on the bench for the first time.
Otherwise the Whites are unchanged from the 4-1 win over Huddersfield as key trio Joe Rodon, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Byram all recover from injury doubts to start.
The manager revealed all three were back in training after being withdrawn early last week, and star man Summerville joins Dan James, Joel Piroe and Georginio Summerville in attack.
Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara remain the middle of the park, as Byram and Rodon join Gray and Pascal Struijk in defence of Illan Meslier.
Statement
With the Foxes having dropped just three points all season this clash is sure to be the toughest assignment of the campaign so far for Farke and his side.
But the Whites have the ability to prove a significant threat themselves and a win here would be a major statement of intent, to chase down Ipswich in second even if Leicester are already too far ahead.
The 14-point gap between the two sides prior to kick off illustrates how Enzo Maresca managed to get his side settled and firing quicker that Farke could, which is perhaps understandable given the all-round uncertainty that characterised the summer and ran all the way up to the transfer deadline weeks into the season.
Leeds United currently have some of the most in-form players in the division at their disposal and they are sure to need to have big games for this one.
Dropped points shouldn’t be a major cause for concern in itself considering the calibre of the opposition but would leave the Whites open to be overtaken by multiple sides in the table by the end of the weekend.
Having blown away Huddersfield Town before half-time last weekend it is going to be a significant step up in quality against Leicester but there has to be reason to believe this team is up to the challenge.
In other Leeds United news, one man has “knuckled down massively” after questions were raised over his attitude according to Phil Hay.