One of them has not started a game since August and this could be his final chance to begin a match for Leeds United
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
10:40, 13 Feb 2026
Wilfried Gnonto could be one of them
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Wilfried Gnonto could be one of them(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round clash against Birmingham City comes as a welcome chance for Leeds United to rotate amidst a tough run of Premier League games.
It was interesting to note that Daniel Farke decided to play Jayden Bogle in an unorthodox wing role over the selection of other natural options, such as January arrival Facundo Buonanotte, in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
With Birmingham a Championship outfit outside of the play-offs, albeit only by a point, Farke may feel this is the perfect chance to rest his main players and give those normally on the bench a go from the start.
He has made no secret that the Premier League is the priority. And so, we could see three players handed a rare start at midday at St Andrew’s.
Wilfried Gnonto
Gnonto scored from right wing-back against Derby County in the third round, finding the equaliser shortly after half time. That was the only game he has started for 10 weeks.
Gnonto has failed to come off the bench in United’s last two games and has actually only enjoyed 40 league minutes so far in 2026. He will be desperate to impress.
Farke’s switch to a 3-5-2 has not been conducive to Gnonto’s game-time chances with the Italian not a natural wing-back nor a secondary striker. He has been one of the fall guys in that regard.
Daniel James
In fact, it seems that James might already be ahead of Gnonto in the pecking order despite his long absence out injured. The Welshman has indeed come on in both of the club’s two most recent games.
James is a natural winger too but has the capability of playing off the main striker. In Farke’s system, the 3-5-2 formation morphs into 3-4-3 when on the ball with the second striker going out wide and a midfielder pushing up to occupy the other flank - namely Brenden Aaronson.
We could see James playing as the second striker from the start on Sunday. That would mark his first line-up inclusion since late November.
Sam Byram
Given James Justin is now a regular alongside Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson and that they all probably need a rest, it would not be a shock to see Sam Byram start his second game of the season.
It could be that Byram starts as one of the centre-back three, though with Pascal Struijk missing the Chelsea trip and Jaka Bijol only just returning from injury himself, it could be that he is played on the flank with Sebastiaan Bornauw given the nod again.
Either way, if he does start, it will be his first since the woeful League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday back in August, when he was brought off after 71 minutes despite wearing the captain’s armband. Sunday might well be his final opportunity to start a game for Leeds.
Honorable mentions
It would be a shock to not see Joel Piroe start given his record against Championship teams and Farke’s need to keep squad happiness at a good level. After his missed penalty against Derby, he responded with a good second half performance.
Lucas Perri could get his first outing since being dropped as number one last month while academy youngsters Sam Chambers and Alfie Cresswell - namechecked by Farke in a recent press conference - might make the matchday squad.
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