Daniel Farke may have to make brutal Leeds sacrifice as 49ers pressure sharpens
Leeds United face Norwich in FA Cup action, but Daniel Farke may not be focused on that clash.
Farke may have been minded to play a strong team in the fifth-round clash due to the fact that his side struggled to get past Birmingham City last time around, scraping through against Championship opposition on penalties.
However, the Elland Road meeting could force a brutal sacrifice from the Leeds boss, due to the position that he finds himself in with the ownership.
The pressure on the German from the 49ers Enterprises group is clear, with the side’s fight against relegation right back on the agenda.
Why Farke may change his plans amid 49ers pressure
Most Leeds supporters thought they were very much clear of a survival battle, but now they are just three points above the relegation zone.
That has forced the ownership to delay contract talks with the manager, and it could also force Farke into making changes to the side that plays against the Canaries.
He would have been keen to go through and put the Whites in a good position to potentially win a trophy with a similar team to the usual side, but now, league position must be the priority, and changes must be on the cards.
What changes could Farke make for Norwich clash
The question of who could come in for the LS11 side is a very interesting one, as no one has impressed enough to get into the league team.
However, with Farke perhaps making changes just so he can keep a strong team for the top-flight fixtures that are coming up, there are a few names that could be called upon.
Joel Piroe has 13 appearances all season, but he could be asked to lead the line to keep the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha fit for the all-important run-in.
Ao Tanaka may finally get a start after missing several matches as Farke prefers the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, and will want to keep them fit for the long-term.
Illan Meslier could play over Karl Darlow, who has been the number one keeper for Farke lately.
With his job on the line, the 49-year-old may decide that staying in the league and keeping his job would be the better option than trying to win the cup, and his team selection may well reflect that when he faces his former club.
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