Leeds United fans will be expecting, at bare minimum, a good performance on Saturday against Newcastle United.
Ideally, a result will be secured against the Magpies, who will be without the suspended Anthony Gordon and the self-exiled Alexander Isak. But supporters will be aware of the gap between where both clubs are and so a loss may be reluctantly stomached - but only with a good showing.
Losing to Arsenal 5-0 is one thing, but going out of the League Cup to a Sheffield Wednesday side full of teenagers and inexperience on Tuesday was a low point in Daniel Farke’s tenure.
After this fixture comes the international break, and a poor showing will only exacerbate the stewing over team and manager confidence, a crucial aspect to United’s quest to avoid the drop. Because afterwards comes a long stretch against teams Leeds will be expected to get some points on the board.
Attacking thrust
With Noah Okafor a doubt for Saturday and therefore less likely to start, Leeds may lose one of their attacking outlets in a team that has struggled for final third potency. Their only goals so far have come from the penalty spot and a right-back against a team of tired teenagers.
Fabian Schar might be out of tomorrow’s game for Newcastle and Kieran Trippier turns 35 in three weeks. Malick Thiaw might be starting his first game for Eddie Howe, if Schar is out. So there might be weakness to expose there.
Lukas Nmecha seems the obvious choice to stand up against Dan Burn with Joel Piroe lacking in his latest two outings. Regardless, Leeds need to show their attacking vigour in the final third tomorrow, preferably in open play.
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The hope is that one more attacking signing will be brought in before Monday’s deadline. Failure to score against Newcastle will only increase the pressure on Farke to get business done.
Bijol or Struijk?
There is a real debate to be had over whether to start Jaka Bijol or Pascal Struijk, for adverse reasons. In the build up to Arsenal, it was about Struijk’s good form. After the loss, it was getting Bijol primed and ready for Newcastle against Sheffiedl Wednesday.
But after Bijol’s rusty display in midweek - in which he had to make several recovery tackles - and bearing in mind Newcastle’s pace on the counter with Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes, his selection is less assured as it once was.
He will ultimately take over from Struijk in time. That’s not the debate here. It’s more of a tighter call on whether he is ready enough to face a Newcastle attack that has had an extra days’ rest.
Longstaff and midfield
Sean Longstaff faces up against his old club tomorrow in what could be his first Premier League start since leaving his boyhood team. He will play in a weakened midfield that does not contain Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu.
Longstaff had a poor showing against Sheffield Wednesday, albeit admittedly in a much-rotated team. Ilia Gurev - who could also start - was playing alongside him in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Farke suggested he could use a different midfield set up to his preferred 4-3-3 formation, hinting that the 4-2-3-1 system could be deployed again, though this time with Anton Stach in from the off.
Fans could see all three midfielders used with one further forward, or one drops out with Brenden Aaronson used as the number 10. The onus is on the midfield to try and take control against a Newcastle central berth that could be without Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, depending on injury test results.
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