Luke Ayling may get first Leeds United start since October 4 against Leicester
Many expected Luke Ayling to see his minutes limited at Leeds United this season when the Whites announced the signing of Djed Spence on loan from Tottenham.
The Spurs man had impressed in his last Championship season as Nottingham Forest won promotion to the Premier League and was expected to be first-choice at right-back. But after he suffered a knee injury after only one cameo, it seemed as though Ayling was again the only option.
But instead, Daniel Farke has opted to experiment in defence, with Jamie Shackleton and Archie Gray preferred at right-back and Ayling rooted to the bench since 4 October when he last started for the Whites in a 1-0 win over QPR.
Both young midfielders have thrived out of position, with Gray, in particular, earning plenty of plaudits from both his manager and supporters for his displays against Bristol City and Norwich either side of the October international break.
However, with Leeds’ next match seeing them travel to the King Power Stadium to face the Championship high-flyers Leicester City, there is a strong chance that Farke may opt to pack his side with experienced heads and restore Ayling to the starting XI for the first time in a month.
The Foxes have been in inspired form throughout the opening months of the season, only dropping points once in the opening 14 matches of the Championship campaign, while scoring 29 goals and only conceding eight times themselves.
On the left-wing Stephy Mavididi has been phenomenal since making the switch from Montpellier this summer, scoring three times and assisting on a further three occasions and offers a huge threat that will likely consistently take on whoever is deployed at right back for Leeds United.
Gray has shown that he is capable of containing wingers as a full-back already as he didn’t allow Sam Bell or Onel Hernandez a yard of space against Bristol City or Norwich, but Ayling’s experience should give him the nod over either midfielder.
The 32-year-old has played in the biggest matches of a Championship campaign and performed well previously. When Marcelo Bielsa’s side won the division in the 2019/20 campaign, Ayling started 35 of the Whites’ 43 games and remained ever present when fit in the Premier League.
Even earlier this season in Leeds’ clash with Millwall, the right-back was exceptional at The Den and kept the Whites in the match when they faced initial pressure in the game. If he can replicate that performance against Leicester, Farke may well be tempted to restore him to the starting XI against the Foxes.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has identified the one area in which Georginio Rutter must improve over the remainder of the season