Whites boss Daniel Farke has named his Leeds United team for tonight’s second game in four days at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.
Farke’s Whites are back in action at the City Ground this evening in the second round of the Carabao Cup, four days on from Saturday’s first game of the Premier League season in which Leeds left Nottingham with a 1-0 success.
Farke gave full debuts to James Trafford, Tarik Muharemovic and Harry Wilson in Saturday’s contest for which the club’s latest signing Nico Elvedi was named on the bench and ultimately an unused substitute.
Versatile Swiss international defender Elvedi was stripped off and set to come on in the closing stages but ultimately did not get on to the pitch.
Farke, though, said the defender was in excellent shape at Monday’s pre-match press conference and the defender is handed his Whites debut as part of a strong starting line-up named by United’s head coach.
New no 1 James Trafford again starts in goal as part of a team featuring five starters from Saturday’s league clash at the City Ground including captain Ethan Ampadu.
Joe Rodon, Tarik Muharemovic and James Justin also start once more, the only defensive change seeing Elvedi replace Jayden Bogle who drops to the bench.
United’s team also features a first start in three months for winger Noah Okafor who suffered a calf injury at the end of last season and was then given an extended break due to Switzerland reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Okafor and Dan James start out wide as Harry Wilson, Brenden Aaronson and Whites no 9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin all drop to the bench, Lukas Nmecha getting a start upfront.
Two other changes see Sean Longstaff and Ao Tanaka replace Anton Stach and Jaka Bijol, Leeds seemingly lining up with a back four.
Willy Gnonto, Gabi Gudmundsson and Ilia Gruev had already all been ruled out.
Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest: Trafford, Justin, Muharemovic, Rodon, Elvedi, Ampadu, Tanaka, Longstaff, James, Okafor, Nmecha. Subs: Perri, Cresswell, Lienou, Bogle, Bijol, Stach, Aaronson, Wilson, Calvert-Lewin.