Leeds United line-ups vs Man City as Forshaw and…

Leeds United line-ups vs Man City as Forshaw and Ayling start with back three

Beren Cross

Injuries and illnesses remain an unknown going into Leeds United’s clash with Manchester City because of how long ago Jesse Marsch’s pre-match press conference was. If we assume the players he expected back in full training do make it, then the selection becomes a little more straightforward.

Illan Meslier has to start if he’s medically able to given the shelling the Leeds goal is about to take. In an effort to make better use of the strong right-back cohort at Leeds, I’ve gone with a back three that tucks Luke Ayling inside with Robin Koch and Liam Cooper.

That then releases Rasmus Kristensen to attack the right flank with a little more freedom. Pascal Struijk would start as the left wing-back, but with a little less freedom than the Dane, tucking in to make a back four at points.

While Adam Forshaw has been rusty through the December friendlies, there is nobody else to fill in for Tyler Adams in this formation. Forshaw at least has some bite in the tackle to complement Marc Roca’s passing.

I wanted Crysencio Summerville to start given how well he finished the last section of the Premier League, but there just aren’t enough slots available if I want to keep some defensive balance in there.

If anything, it says more about the continued impression Wilfried Gnonto is making. The Italian impressed against Real Sociedad and Monaco while avoiding the kind of interruptions Summerville and Jack Harrison have faced.

Beren’s XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper; Kristensen, Forshaw, Roca, Struijk; Aaronson, Gnonto; Rodrigo.

Will Jackson

At this stage it’s hard to know who will be available for selection heading into the Manchester City clash. The Whites were missing 10 senior players against Monaco last week and although Jesse Marsch expected most to return to training before the Premier League restart, it’s difficult to know whether they will all be available.

I’ll go with a best-case scenario and that means Illan Meslier starts, for me, despite sitting out of full training for the last few weeks through illness. If it’s not Meslier, Joel Robles has shown enough to cement himself as the club’s number two and he ought to be given the gloves.

Rasmus Kristensen is going to need to be switched on to prevent City from exploiting gaps down Leeds’ right, while Liam Cooper and Robin Koch, Leeds’ best centre-back partnership in my view, face their biggest challenge of the season in trying to stop Erling Haaland. I’d give Sam Greenwood a go in the middle of the park in Tyler Adams’s absence.

The youngster did relatively well during the club’s mid-season friendlies and while he’s nowhere near as experienced as Adam Forshaw, his energy could be key when it comes to applying pressure to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or Ilkay Gundogan. If Crysencio Summerville is fit he has to start, for me, after his run of goals through October and November.

I’d probably start Jack Harrison, too, if he is considered to be fit enough. He’ll get back when needed and, whatever wing he’s on, he’ll try to prevent his full-back from being overrun.

Rodrigo is quite clearly the first-choice option up front now and, assuming he’s shaken off his hamstring tightness, he starts.

Will’s XI: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Greenwood, Roca; Summerville, Aaronson, Harrison; Rodrigo.

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