Brenden Aaronson faces axe in two Daniel Farke changes – Leeds predicted XI vs Sunderland
Leeds are looking to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to Man City by securing all three points against Sunderland at Elland Road on Tuesday.
The Whites are still 15th in the table, six points clear of 18th-placed West Ham, and with 10 games to go, they are in a good position to avoid relegation.
However, they need to string together better performances, and they now face a Sunderland side that has struggled on its travels this campaign.
Daniel Farke has to make some changes if he wants his side to respond positively to Saturday’s defeat, and Brenden Aaronson‘s poor performance at Elland Road could lead to him being dropped.
- Read more: Daniel Farke foolish in Leeds United loss vs Man City after what he did with Brenden Aaronson
Brenden Aaronson and Ilia Gruev to be replaced in two changes
The USA international was in fine form over January, but his quality in the final third has started to fade in recent weeks.
Against Man City, Aaronson was taken off in the 65th minute for Lukas Nmecha after delivering an uninspiring display in the heart of midfield.
According to Sofascore, the 25-year-old won only 30 per cent of his ground duels on Saturday, and it’s fair to say that he looked completely out of his depth.
| Stat | Aaronson |
| Appearances | 27 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 3 |
Leeds have used a 5-4-1 formation in recent weeks, but they looked much more potent when Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a strike partner alongside him.
Therefore, Nmecha could take Aaronson’s place in the team, which would certainly trouble Sunderland’s defence a lot more.
The other change may see Ilia Gruev, who was poor against Pep Guardiola’s side, drop out for Ao Tanaka, who is long overdue for a start.
Although the Japan international hasn’t started a top-flight match since 14 December, this could be the perfect game to bring him back into the fold.
Why should Ao Tanaka start vs Sunderland?
Simply put, he needs to be given a chance in the starting line-up.
Tanaka has flourished for Leeds at times this season, with the highlight being his 96th-minute equaliser against Liverpool on 6 December.
After becoming a hero in the Championship-winning campaign, Farke hasn’t trusted him to perform at the same level in the Premier League.
Tanaka has been left on the bench multiple times this season, with Gruev being preferred in midfield.
However, after the Bulgarian midfielder’s subpar performance, the 27-year-old deserves to prove his worth for the Whites.
Starting him against the Black Cats would boost his morale, and given his tendencies to pop up with big moments in LS11, it’s a logical choice for Farke to make.
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