Longstaff return, Calvert-Lewin decision: Predicted Leeds lineup vs. Newcastle
Longstaff return, Calvert-Lewin decision: Predicted Leeds lineup vs. Newcastle
Leeds United could be without up to three players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United at Elland Road.
Midfield duo Ethan Ampadu Ao Tanaka are both ruled out until after the international break with knee injuries, while summer signing Noah Okafor will be assessed ahead of kickoff after sustaining a groin issue in Wednesday’s EFL Cup second-round defeat on penalties to Sheffield Wednesday.
Daniel Farke named a relatively strong lineup for the clash at Hillsborough, but the Leeds boss is expected to make a number of changes this weekend, with goalkeeper Lucas Perri set to replace Karl Darlow, who scored an own-goal in midweek.
Jayden Bogle scored at the right end of the pitch for Leeds in the same game and he is set to return at right-back, joining Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon and Gabriel Gudmundsson in the back four.
In the absence of Ampadu and Tanaka, Anton Stach and Ilia Gruev could be joined in centre-midfield by Sean Longstaff, who was signed for a reported £12m from boyhood club Newcastle earlier this summer.
Fellow new recruit Dominic Calvert-Lewin played for half an hour before missing a penalty in the shootout against Sheffield Wednesday. The former Everton striker could be fit to make his full debut up front, but Farke may opt to begin with either Joel Piroe or Lukas Nmecha as his central striker, with Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto providing support on the flanks.
Leeds United possible starting lineup: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Stach, Gruev, Longstaff; James, Piroe, Gnonto
> Click here to see how Newcastle United could line up for this contest