Leeds United kick off their home campaign with four signings potentially earning their competitive home debut
Noah Okafor started against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup on Tuesday
Noah Okafor started against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup on Tuesday(Image: Maynard Manyowa/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Leeds United will hand out at least three competitive home debuts against Brentford on Sunday, possibly four.
James Trafford, Tarik Muharemovic and Harry Wilson all earned their first taste of Elland Road in pre-season, albeit not at full capacity with the West Stand shut during the two home friendlies due to the ongoing expansion works.
So a full house on Sunday will be a new experience for them and a totally fresh one for Nico Elvedi, who has yet to experience a matchday in LS11. It is likely the Swiss starts on the bench, though, despite his encouraging performance on Tuesday night against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.
Therefore, it is expected that Joe Rodon and Jaka Bijol will guard Trafford in goal alongside Muharemovic, who will sit on the left side of the defensive three.
With Gabriel Gudmundsson likely not ready to start yet despite returning to team training following his hamstring issue, midweek goalscorer James Justin will start on the left flank again.
Jayden Bogle will begin on the right flank, but expect to see him drift inwards towards the 10 role when the opportunity arises amid Leeds’ bold attacking intentions. In the middle of the park will be Ethan Ampadu alongside Anton Stach.
Neither Sean Longstaff or Ao Tanaka did anything to suggest they would displace Stach, while Ilia Gruev needs time to get back up to speed following April's knee injury. In attack, Noah Okafor could start his first Premier League game of the season on the left.
He did not begin a friendly in pre-season or on the opening day with the attacker needing to get back up to full fitness following his late return to camp after Switzerland's progress to the World Cup quarter-finals.
But his starting would likely see Brenden Aaronson begin on the bench with Harry Wilson taking up the second wide 10 slot on the right behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who will be eager to get off the mark before too long.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Stach, Justin; Wilson, Okafor; Calvert-Lewin.