Leeds United return to Championship action this evening, travelling to Vicarage Road to play Watford.
It has been 12 days since Leeds’ last game, yet it is fair to say that the international break has left the squad with a few bumps and bruises, with a number of late selection decisions to make tonight.
Junior Firpo, Georginio Rutter, Ilia Gruev, Willy Gnonto, and Connor Roberts are all fresh injury concerns heading into the game, though Daniel Farke did not rule them out in his press conference on Wednesday.
Firpo merely returned from international service with the Dominican Republic yesterday, and Rutter underwent surgery last week but has already participated in some squad training.
The other three have all returned from representing their respective countries with injury concerns, and their assessments have not to be completed as of Wednesday.
With that in mind, here’s our best attempt at predicting the XI.
Illan Meslier, one of the few players not on international duty, started in goal.
Defence
Given such a short turnaround, Farke appears unlikely to risk playing Firpo from the start, therefore Sam Byram is expected to fill in at left-back.
However, it becomes more intriguing elsewhere. Roberts appears to be the least likely to be fit for tonight’s game, although he would have been on the bench anyway, with Archie Gray at right back.
The fitness of those further up the pitch may have an impact on the centre-back partnership, but Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu simply cannot be separated given their track record together.
Midfield
Glen Kamara got a good break in Finland’s second international encounter on Tuesday, so he should be fresh for this game.
Gruev, who is rumored to be injured, will hopefully join him. The additional 24 hours of healing time may be critical to him starting tonight.
Attack
Patrick Bamford and Crysencio Summerville, two of the front four’s four guaranteed starters, have also had nearly two weeks off since Millwall.
Farke was hopeful that Rutter will be able to play some role on Wednesday, and given that it has been 48 hours since his news conference, that may be from the start.
Like Gruev, it is impossible to predict whether Gnonto will be declared fit, but hopefully it was a little issue and he is ready for the race.
Predicted lineup: Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Byram; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford.
