Leeds United take on Sheffield Wednesday in a Yorkshire derby this evening at Hillsborough in the League Cup second round.
There are bragging rights up for grabs as Leeds United travel down from West Yorkshire to South Yorkshire just over one year on from a 2-0 league victory over Sheffield Wednesday to secure their first three points of 2024/25.
Now, a depleted and rotated Sheffield Wednesday side — with only 12 players over the age of 21, will take on a Leeds team with a bloated squad and a number of options who can be rotated in after the Everton and Arsenal league fixtures.
There are likely to be a number of changes and a number of full debuts for Leeds, which is what our predicted Leeds XI vs Sheffield Wednesday has detailed, but one change should be bringing in Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a few reasons.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin shushes Leeds United fans during a game in 2021.
Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Dominic Calvert-Lewin should feature for Leeds at Hillsborough for two main reasons
Leeds against Sheffield Wednesday is live on Sky Sports this evening. Prior to the match, it’s already been spotted on Instagram that Anton Stach has already been teasing Sheffield Wednesday.
Joel Piroe could break Leeds records against Sheffield Wednesday, so he will be itching to play a part. However, he has started both of the league games already and Lukas Nmecha may well be given the nod.
Either way, tonight presents the perfect opportunity to give Calvert-Lewin a run out. The reasons Farke should do that are twofold.
1. Calvert-Lewin’s training plan after no pre-season
Firstly, as the below from Beren Cross outlines, Calvert-Lewin missed all of pre-season and is undergoing his own training plan separately to get him more up to speed.
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As a free agent, he did not play any games in the off-season and match sharpness and fitness is likely to be lacking. However, Henrik Pedersen has already explained that he plans to play a lot of younger players for experience.
Calvert-Lewin has addressed his fitness issues already to Leeds fans concerned but this highlights the sort of shape Wednesday are in right now, and is perhaps an easier environment — if not a more pre-season-like environment — for the striker to ease himself into with some minutes.
It’s also likely that he plays a part with the U-21 team and Jonny Howson at some stage, but the Wednesday team may not look far off what an U-21 game might look like — such has been the unfortunate nature of their situation this summer.
2. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Sheffield United allegiances
Being a Leeds United No.9 is one thing but being that and a former Blade from his time at Sheffield United as a boy is another. He came through the ranks at Bramall Lane and the 28-year-old made 12 appearances.
In many ways, it gives him a point to prove at Hillsborough in front of fans who will definitely give him a piece of their mind. Scoring your first goal(s) against such opposition would go a long way to endear yourself to your new fans, too.
Farke should be minded to include Calvert-Lewin in the matchday squad, even if not to start. His presence will add some needle to an atmosphere which is already pent-up with anger towards Dejphon Chansiri’s running of the club.
That, plus the hostilities of a Yorkshire derby, feel like the perfect ingredients for a positive or negative Calvert-Lewin moment in the match, one way or another.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin playing for Everton.
Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images
Leeds have to reciprocate faith in Calvert-Lewin
After he penned a three-year deal at Elland Road, Calvert-Lewin has already sent a defiant message to Leeds fans regarding how delighted he is to be back in Yorkshire.
However, there is no point in putting faith in him this season if he’s not going to be able to play for another five games. Leeds need to be building up his fitness now.
Calvert-Lewin has explained why he chose Leeds over Sunderland and other Champions League offers, showing his loyalty to the side, while the other details of how a Leeds and Calvert-Lewin agreement was agreed hinged on that loyalty.
Of course, after reportedly having high wage demands to leave Everton, Calvert-Lewin signing for Leeds has been confusing to some. But he is theirs now and faith needs to be shown in him.