Isaac Schmidt set for first Leeds United start v Bristol City after Elland Road update
Daniel Farke has to give Isaac Schmidt his first Leeds United start against Bristol City following Junior Firpo’s suspension.
Firpo received a 59th-minute booking in the Whites’ 2-1 win against Watford on 22 October, and as his fifth yellow card of the season, the Dominican Republic international won’t be able to face the Robins at Ashton Gate.
That leaves Farke with a decision to make on who takes the reins at left-back on Saturday (26 October), with Schmidt and Sam Byram both in the running to fill the gap left by Firpo.
Byram has often been Farke’s go-to when replacing Firpo off the bench so far this season, but with Schmidt being given few chances since arriving from St. Gallen, the time is now for him to start.
Isaac Schmidt has to start for Leeds United v Bristol City
Although he arrived late on transfer Deadline Day as United’s final signing of the summer window, the fact that the club could pay up to £4.6million for Schmidt shows they rate him highly [Blick, 30 August].
So too does the fact that clubs in Germany’s Bundesliga had also identified Schmidt as a potential signing over the summer, with his agent making clear that a move to LS11 was the right one [Leeds Live, 17 September].
The time is now for Schmidt to prove his agent right, but that can only come if Farke shows faith in the versatile Swiss full-back to take Firpo’s place against Bristol City.
Schmidt has made just three cameo appearances off the bench in his fledgling Peacocks career amid concerns over his readiness for the Championship, whereas Byram has made nine already.
Byram was the go-to choice at left-back for the first half of last season before Firpo’s re-emergence in 2024, but for Schmidt to become the player many believe he can, Farke must give the 24-year-old a starting berth in Bristol.
In other Leeds news, United fans won’t be happy after a new update surfaced concerning Archie Gray’s future at Tottenham.
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