Leeds United have suffered a double midfield blow ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Anton Stach was forced off in last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa and head coach Daniel Farke has since confirmed that the summer signing “will definitely miss” the trip to Man City as he must follow concussion protocols.
Farke has also revealed that Sean Longstaff will be out for “almost four to six weeks” with a calf injury, while defender Sebastiaan Bornauw (knee) missed training on Wednesday and a late call will be made on his availability.
The absence of Longstaff and Stach will likely see Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev handed starts in a three-man midfield alongside Ethan Ampadu, who is just one booking away from a Premier League suspension.
A back four of Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Gabriel Gudmundsson is set to remain intact, protecting goalkeeper Lucas Perri, while wingers Daniel James and Willy Gnonto will both be looking to force their way into the first XI at the expense of Brenden Aaronson and Noah Okafor.
Former Man City youngster Lukas Nmecha has started and scored in the last two matches and will hope to keep his place up front ahead of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – all three of Nmecha’s PL goals have put Leeds 1-0 up in a game and the only Whites player whose first four goals in the division were the opening goal was David Wetherall between 1993 and 1994.
Leeds United possible starting lineup: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Gruev, Ampadu, Tanaka; James, Nmecha, Gnonto
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