The sight of midfield enforcer Ilia Gruev returning to duty ahead of schedule was the ideal way for Leeds United to cap off their first victory of 2025.
The Bulgarian international made his first appearance in nearly three months during Saturday’s hard-fought FA Cup victory over Harrogate Town at Elland Road. Gruev was greeted enthusiastically by the home crowd after replacing Wilfried Gnonto. Gruev and Junior Firpo’s return to the lineup following injury layoffs was a welcome boost for the Whites.
“To be honest, I’m not sure I’d have included him (Gruev) in the squad for a league game,” said manager Daniel Farke in his post-match debrief. “I was half hoping there would be an opportunity to introduce him and restore his confidence (against Harrogate).” But it was also no gift, as I am usually a little more cautious following a long-term injury.
“He just seemed ready, and that was a huge boost for the entire team because he was invaluable before the injury and looks so sharp in this league. However, I don’t expect him to be ready in two days for 90 minutes. But he appears to be much further along in regaining his rhythm than I expected.
Gruev will need time to get up to speed and develop his match sharpness. Given the battle for midfield positions, Farke may ease Gruev back into the fold.
However, once Gruev is fully fit, the Whites’ manager will be faced with an extraordinarily difficult decision. United has five senior midfielders on its roster: Gruev, Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka, Joe Rothwell, and Josuha Guilavogui.
Since returning from injury, skipper Ampadu has stepped in at centre back and central midfield. Farke has referred to Ampadu as his “most important player,” implying that he and another midfielder are the engine room.
Much of Farke ball revolves about control and avoiding excessive risks. Ampadu provides them with much-needed bite and toughness, which is critical to Farke’s desired style of play.
Ampadu, Rothwell, and Tanaka all exhibit adaptability. Rothwell and Tanaka gave up some of their offensive inclinations for the sake of the team after Ampadu and Gruev were both injured in the span of four days. Their knocks prompted Farke to bring in Guilavogui to provide additional support in the center. Rothwell and Tanaka stepped up and demonstrated that they can perform well in deeper midfield situations.
Gruev established his worth in the second half of last season, when the Whites went on a lengthy unbeaten streak to put themselves in contention for automatic promotion. It’s possible that Gruev will need to wait for an opportunity to stake a claim.
There are two ways Farke could get more midfielders into the starting lineup. He could drop Ampadu back into defence, which he seemed hesitant to do based on the Harrogate Town FA Cup encounter, or he could move Rothwell to No. 10. He is unlikely to use Rothwell further up the field and leave Brenden Aaronson on the bench. Aaronson has been a first-team regular this season.
One thing is certain: several good players will not be selected in the next weeks and months. Let the war begin!
