MOT View: Bang in-form Leeds youngsters will make first-team debuts within weeks
Leeds United have got a few days off over Christmas before they’re back at the coalface for a hectic festive schedule.
They play Burnley at Elland Road on December 27 before travelling to West Brom two days later.
Six points from these two winnable games would make Leeds fans feel way more festive after the hammering at Old Trafford.
After that, it’s a tough game at Tottenham on January 2 before a fascinating trip to Crawley Town in the FA Cup.
Leeds fans will be worried about a potential banana skin but we’re more fascinated by the team that Marcelo Bielsa is going to put out.
The thinking is that Bielsa will use the game to blood some of the exciting youngsters from the Under-23s, giving some senior stars a much-needed rest.
The Leeds Under-23s are doing their best to attract Bielsa’s attention.
They smashed Fulham 7-1 on Monday at Thorp Arch and are riding high on top of Division 2 of the Premier League 2.
Athletic journalist Phil Hay journalist highlighted the goal from Gelhardt and said, “Will be interesting to see which of the 23s get a look-in at Crawley in the FA Cup.
“Granted, plenty of senior featuring at that level for Leeds but they’re having an excellent season.”
We’re about as sure as we can get that Leeds fans are going to get to see the dynamic attacking duo Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood in the FA Cup game.
Gelhardt has scored five goals in nine PL 2 games and he’s played in the Championship with Wigan so this won’t be a step up for him.
Greenwood has scored six in eight PL 2 games and the two players have forged a brilliant partnership.
In a recent press conference, Bielsa mentioned both players, calling Gelhardt “very dangerous”.
“Gelhardt is a player that when he is close to the box is very dangerous and Greenwood is the player who has a lot of capacity to arrive into the free spaces,” Bielsa said.
“They can play either with Gelhardt in front with Greenwood behind or the other way round.”
We think both players could be in the first-team squad next season and Crawley is the perfect opportunity to let them show what they can do.
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