Michael Skubala will be the man in charge of Leeds United when they go to Everton on Saturday afternoon. The caretaker manager has fared relatively well since making the step up from the Under-21s set up and the board have put their trust in him while their search for a new head coach goes on.
As such, he’ll be the man selecting the team for the clash at Goodison Park, with the help of Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas, and it seems he may well have some tough decisions to make. Potential changes to his starting XI will depend on the health of key men, of course, with the likes of Liam Cooper, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra all battling their way towards full fitness once more.
However, one of his biggest calls could come at left-back, with Pascal Struijk potentially set to return to action. Struijk took the full force of a Marcus Rashford shot to the head last week at Old Trafford and after receiving initial treatment on the field, he was brought off for further assessment.
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The Dutchman failed a head assessment and consequently missed the return fixture against Manchester United. According to The FA’s guidelines, players should not be allowed to return to action for at least six days after the injury, meaning if all has gone well, Struijk will be ready to play this weekend.
Of course, concussion cases aren’t always straightforward and they must be treated with caution, but if Struijk has ticked all the return to play protocol boxes then he could be at Skubala’s disposal as the Whites travel to Merseyside for a must-win contest. Whether the caretaker manager brings him straight back into the side, though, remains to be seen.
Junior Firpo would be the man to make way if Struijk was to reclaim his spot on the left-hand side of a back four, but the choice between the two isn’t as clear cut as it perhaps was earlier in the season. Firpo struggled to get a look in before the New Year, making just two Premier League appearances.
However, he has managed to find a bit of continuity over the last month or so, using the club’s FA Cup run to gather some traction and build up form and confidence in his game. As such, when Struijk left the field at Old Trafford last Wednesday, Firpo was more than ready to jump in.
He held his own, for the most part, against the Red Devils before turning in a solid performance at Elland Road to limit the success of Jadon Sancho down his flank. He took bookings in both games, but he can be more than happy with his most recent efforts and he would have the right to feel aggrieved if he was to lose his spot to Struijk, who hasn’t been in top form lately.
The 23-year-old has struggled over the last few weeks, with below par showings coming at Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Consequently, his spot in the side isn’t necessarily guaranteed at present and Firpo may just have done enough to get his foot in the door.
Of course, there is a possibility that Max Wober could be asked to play in the role, but that would only be considered if Liam Cooper has recovered from the issue that kept him out of both clashes against Man U.
Skubala’s mind will be occupied with a number of matters as he prepares the Whites to face Everton and his left-back decision may well be one of them.
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