Leeds United return after the international break with a clash against mid-table Southampton at Elland Road. The Whites will be looking to make it three wins in a row for the first time all season following their recent dramatic victories against Norwich City and Wolves.
The two-week break from the Premier League season arguably came at the best possible time for Leeds following the glut of injuries sustained at Molineux 10 days ago. Patrick Bamford, Diego Llorente, Mateusz Klich and Illan Meslier were all forced off within the opening 55 minutes, though following the club’s update yesterday, it appears that only Bamford will be unavailable this weekend after rupturing his plantar fascia.
As a result, Jesse Marsch is likely to face a number of selection headaches for arguably the first time in his opening month at Leeds. Captain Liam Cooper will be pushing to start after fully overcoming the hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for four months.
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He could come in for Pascal Struijk on the left side of central defence, with Llorente, Robin Koch and Charlie Cresswell all also vying for a start at the heart of the back four. Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas are likely to continue at full-back as Junior Firpo continues his recovery from a knee injury.
In midfield Marsch is likely to face more dilemmas with Kalvin Phillips fully fit after another two weeks of training under his belt. The 48-year-old must decide whether to replace him with either Adam Forshaw or Klich, who is back in training after completing the necessary concussion protocols.
With Bamford out, it is likely that Raphinha will come straight back in after his bout of Covid-19, meaning Daniel James moves back up front alongside Rodrigo Moreno, with Jack Harrison on the left. Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, though, will be hoping to get the nod after their impact in the two recent wins.
You can select your XI for the clash with Southampton and head to the comments below to explain your choices.
