Sebastiaan Bornauw set for sink-or-swim moment vs Chelsea after Leeds United blow
Sebastiaan Bornauw’s time at Leeds United has not gone to plan so far.
The Whites bought the centre-back from Wolfsburg in the summer, for a deal that came to a fee in the region of £5million.
After early struggles for game time in LS11, Bornauw was linked with a winter exit, just months after arriving at Elland Road.
Much is said of the financial troubles that the 49ers face at Leeds, which is why fans have been suggesting that Bornauw has been a waste of money, given that James Justin has been playing out of position ahead of him.
However, it may all come down to the Whites’ game at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea on Tuesday, with Daniel Farke searching for solutions.
Pascal Struijk injury presents Sebastiaan Bornauw with golden chance
Farke has confirmed that Pascal Struijk won’t play against Chelsea due to picking up a hip injury in Leeds‘ 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest last time out in the Premier League.
The Whites have already struggled with losing key players to injury, and Struijk’s setback will come as a huge blow to Farke.
- Struijk has started 22 Premier League games this season
- He has made 184 appearances in total since signing for the Whites in 2018
The Leeds boss also admitted that Jaka Bijol is available for Chelsea, but having not played since the 3-1 FA Cup win over Derby County, it’s unlikely that he will be rushed back into things.
That leaves Joe Rodon and Bornauw as the only other two fit centre-halves to play alongside Justin in Farke’s recently preferred back three.
Talk about being chucked in at the deep end, Bornauw will have to prove himself against a Chelsea side who can’t stop winning under Liam Rosenior.
Why Leeds defence matters even more vs Chelsea; the stat’s are crazy
In a game where three points may be hard to come by, it would be silly of Farke to rush Bijol back into the mix so soon, especially considering the Whites now face a crucial run of fixtures.
Yes, Leeds could perform an upset, but the chances of that are slim, which means it makes even more sense to start Bornauw. You never know, he could surprise everyone.
| Game | xG created |
| Wolves vs Chelsea | 3.44 |
| Chelsea vs West Ham | 2.70 |
| Crystal Palace vs Chelsea | 2.20 |
| Chelsea vs Brentford | 1.59 |
Rosenior has the Blues looking frightening again, and their expected goal pattern is one to be wary of.
They are creating chances galore, which means Leeds’ defence will have to be switched on, especially Bornauw.
If the Belgian is given the nod for a start, he really needs to make a good impression, or a summer sale could be on the cards.
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