Georginio Rutter and Junior Firpo ruled out – Predicted Leeds United XI v Watford
Daniel Farke could be set to make some changes to his Leeds United starting lineup ahead of their Championship clash with Watford on Good Friday.
The Whites moved to the top of the Championship table with a dominant 2-0 win over Millwall last time out before the international break, and will look to continue their fantastic 2024 form.
But after having several stars away on international duty the manager will have some big decisions to make with his team selection, and that could lead to some changes.
Changes in defence expected for Leeds
Illan Meslier is the man with the most clean sheets in the Championship this season and there is no doubt about his role as No.1 goalkeeper at Elland Road, so he will continue between the sticks.
Defence is a bit more interchangeable, but Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu look set to continue at centre-back with Pascal Struijk expected to now undergo season-ending surgery.
Archie Gray should continue at right-back following his goalscoring debut for England Under-21’s as a midfielder, but Sam Byram is likely to get the nod on the left with Junior Firpo expected to miss the game due to a small window between his final international game in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
With Gray still at full-back and Ampadu at centre-back, the midfield pairing of Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev will almost certainly be called upon for perfect balance to the rest of the team.
Big decisions to make in attack for Daniel Farke
In attack the boss will have some big decisions to make because of the form of his current options.
Wilfried Gnonto has been flying in recent times when deployed on the right-wing and looks set to hold his spot, but Daniel James is also in great form and continued that on international duty with a goal in Wales’ 4-0 win over Finland.
But for both players to start this season’s top player Crysencio Summerville would have to drop out, which isn’t impossible considering he is currently on the longest goal drought of the season so far.
In the middle Patrick Bamford has taken his chance as the number nine and should keep his place in the team, but Georginio Rutter looks likely to miss out after undergoing hernia surgery. That should see Joel Piroe get the nod in the number ten role, in a must-win game meaning he must perform.
In other Leeds news, Les Ferdinand tells Gary Neville difference between Whites and QPR.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.