One Leeds United academy gem looks set to feature in his first Premier League matchday squad this weekend.
Leeds United are back in Premier League action this weekend with a game against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
For Daniel Farke, it’ll be a good chance to see a couple of players he missed out on in the summer: Rodrigo Muniz and Harry Wilson.
Muniz was Leeds’ no.1 striker target throughout the summer, whilst Leeds United tried to sign Wilson on deadline day, though both players remain in West London.
And Farke missing out on both players now seems even more of a missed opportunity with Leeds having picked up a couple of attacking injuries going into the weekend.
Joel Piroe during Leeds United v Everton - Premier League
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Leeds United double injury blow revealed ahead of Fulham
As if Leeds’ striker woes weren’t already pressing enough, Farke may now be without two of his three first-team options in Joel Piroe and Lukas Nmecha who are both doubts for the Fulham game on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Farke told the press: “Some question marks about Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe. Nmecha got a hit on foot, missed training yesterday. Piroe has a big bruise on his calf. We have to wait and see, and make a decision in 48 hours.”
Meanwhile, Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu remain sidelined but are both back in first-team training.
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Harry Gray surely steps up for Leeds United against Fulham
With Piroe and Nmecha looking doubtful for the game at Craven Cottage, we can expect Dominic Calvert-Lewin to lead the line, and Harry Gray to step up into the matchday squad for the first time this season.
Gray impressed the Leeds United fans last season after making his first-team debut under Farke, albeit only featuring once in the Championship, and having since been in the matchday squad that lost to Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup last month.
But the 16-year-old remains in fine form for the U21s with four goals in three Premier League 2 games already this season, and now with striker options down to just Calvert-Lewin, Gray looks set to start on the bench against Fulham.
It’s a great opportunity for the teenager and a good chance for Farke to start bleeding him into the first-team and into the Premier League, with Leeds’ striker department really lacking bodies right now.