Luis Sinisterra starts, Wilfried Gnonto on bench as Pascal Struijk axed – Leeds United predicted XI v Ipswich Town
Daniel Farke could be set to make two changes to his Leeds United starting lineup for their Championship fixture against Ipswich on Saturday.
The Whites are yet to pick up a win in the league this season having drawn with Cardiff and West Brom and lost to Birmingham in their opening three games, while Ipswich have won three out of three games conceding just one goal in the process and sit top of the table.
So Farke needs to find a way to turn the form table on it’s head quickly at Portman Road, and it starts with picking the right team to take to the pitch.
Illan Meslier has already been named as the number one at Elland Road this season despite Karl Darlow’s arrival, and with a transfer away now looking unlikely the French youngster should keep his place in the side.
Luke Ayling continues to be the first-choice right-back for now despite Cody Drameh’s return to fitness, while Sam Byram is the first-choice left-back ahead of the returning Leo Hjelde and the exit-bound Junior Firpo.
Both should start, but the boss could look to make a change in the middle by bringing in Charlie Cresswell to partner summer signing Joe Rodon ahead of Pascal Struijk.
In midfield Ethan Ampadu is the number one man and expected summer signing Nadiem Amiri is unlikely to be ready to play yet, so Jamie Shackleton and Archie Gray are likely to start alongside the Wales international once again.
Daniel James and Ian Poveda are out with injuries, but Farke has the option to call upon Luis Sinisterra and Wilfried Gnonto after they apologised and returned to first-team training having been refusing to play in recent weeks.
But the chances of the manager calling upon both men immediately given the likely crowd reaction is slim, and the more experienced Sinisterra is likely to get the nod on the right-wing.
Gnonto is more likely to be on the bench, with Georginio Rutter getting the nod on the left wing while Joe Gelhardt should get the nod up front with Joel Piroe unlikely to be ready to go straight in if he is signed in time.
In other Leeds news, the Whites want to sign another Premier League defender on loan.