Joe Rodon to be axed, rare start handed out – Leeds United predicted XI v Millwall
Daniel Farke could make as many as seven changes to his Leeds United side when they host Millwall in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Whites enter their fourth-round tie at Elland Road off the back of two victories in a row, scoring nine goals in the process and extending their unbeaten run to 14 matches in all competitions.
Farke established in his pre-match press conference (6 February) that rotations will be in order given his side’s hectic Championship schedule, speaking less than 24 hours after they beat Coventry City 2-0.
With the Peacocks travelling to Watford just three days after Saturday’s clash, Farke’s usual continuity between matches will be thrown out the window, despite having an almost fully fit squad to pick from.
Mateo Joseph to lead line for Leeds United v Millwall
Although heavy rotations are expected ahead of Saturday’s clash, the Whites will hardly be naming a ‘weakened’ team given the seven players coming in are all regular competitors for the starting XI.
Mateo Joseph will be looking to stake his starting claims more than most given Leeds’ show of faith in the transfer window; relenting on signing a striker who would’ve gone above him in the pecking order.
Behind the Spaniard, Wilfried Gnonto – who like Joseph, scored for the first time in a while as part of the Peacocks’ 7-0 drubbing of Cardiff City – and Largie Ramazani will both join Farke’s all-star front four.
Ilia Gruev returned to the starting XI against Coventry, displacing Joe Rothwell, but the Bulgarian and the Bournemouth loanee are likely to line up together in Farke’s double-pivot against the Lions.
Like Gruev, Pascal Struijk and Maximilian Wober have both been through their injury struggles this season, and Farke will see Saturday’s match as the perfect opportunity to give them some minutes.
Karl Darlow will also likely return as Farke’s cup goalkeeper to make a rare start, with Ethan Ampadu at centre-back next to Jayden Bogle, arguably Leeds’ man-of-the-match at Coventry.
Brenden Aaronson axed amid Leeds United v Millwall changes
The strength of Farke’s squad is underlined by the fact that the seven players potentially coming in to face Millwall won’t be seen as much of a step-down in quality, with several frequent starters rested.
Illan Meslier and Joe Rodon have both started every single Championship match for the Whites this term – the only two players to do so – and Farke is likely to bring the pair out of the firing line more than most.
Junior Firpo racked up a hat-trick of assists in the 7-0 rout of Cardiff, but given both the Dominican Republic international and Wober are returning from injury, a switch-up at left-back does make sense.
Furthermore, the Ao Tanaka could be rested given how reliant United are on him in league games at the moment, with Brenden Aaronson also due a break having ran himself into the ground against Coventry.
Manor Solomon and Dan James have both been in electrifying form out wide for the Peacocks, but with Ramazani and Gnonto both likely to start, expect the former to be the only attacker who keeps his place.
That also means Joel Piroe – Leeds’ opening goalscorer at the CBS Arena – vacates his role up front as Joseph comes in; the two strikers sharing the workload after transfer Deadline Day made clear the pair will be relied on to fire United back to the Premier League.