Leeds United host Wolves at Elland Road with the view of gaining further breathing space in the fight to avoid Premier League relegation.
United’s week could not be going better right now. If there was one match Leeds fans wanted to win this season when the fixtures were released, you’d imagine the majority placed a late-season trip to Old Trafford at the top.
That win against them lot leaves Leeds sitting six clear of the relegation zone with six to play. Up next are Wolves, who sit bottom of the table and could be relegated by the end of this weekend.
Leeds United team news pre-Wolves: No fresh injuries – Ao Tanaka boost confirmed
After such a huge win on Monday, the hope is on Leeds kicking on and making our lives so much easier in the relegation battle. It’s not something we’ve had the luxury of in recent seasons. We’ve had something riding on the final game of the season ever since fans returned to stadiums in 2021.
For Wolves on Saturday, Daniel Farke is buoyed by the fact he has no fresh injury concerns to contend with. Only Dan James, Joe Rodon and Anton Stach will be absent again, as expected.
That means that star midfielder from Old Trafford, Ao Tanaka has shaken off what Farke confirmed was cramp. The Japan midfielder was forced off in the second half on Monday with pain in his foot, but it’s nothing that will keep him from featuring back at Elland Road.
Here, I predict the Leeds starting XI I think Farke names as we host Rob Edwards’ Wolves…
Goalkeeper: Karl Darlow
In goal, of course Karl Darlow is going to keep his place between the sticks, and you’ve probably already sensed the theme with this lineup.
The Wales stopper wasn’t forced into too much action at Old Trafford until after the hosts went down to 10, and couldn’t stop their goal. However, the one moment I keep thinking about in my head that helped us see out the win was his monstrous punch deep in added time.
Senne Lammens had come up to support the home team’s onslaught, and Darlow bravely steamed out of his goalmouth to power a punch away from trouble, seeing out the win. Massive bravery from Darlow, and the sort of confident decision-making that sees him as Farke’s trusted No1.
Defence: James Justin, Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk
I’m naming this side as a back three instead of a five, on the basis that I expect us to be on the front foot against a side below us in the table.
Therefore, the back three of James Justin, Jaka Bijol, and Pascal Struijk stays as is. And rightly so.
You know, I could talk about everything good Justin does until the cows come home. I could deep-dive his role as a right-sided centre-back and how he transforms other players in our side higher up. But, I just wanted to bring up his booking at Old Trafford, absolutely flattening Matheus Cunha and sending him into the hoardings. That bloke gets it.
Bijol in the middle is the perfect foil for both Struijk and Justin, meanwhile. Wins his duels, keeps it tidy at the back, and isn’t afraid to show a bit on the ball too.
Then, I’m expecting a lot of the onus to be on Struijk in possession tomorrow. The Dutchman is our most accomplished passer from the back, and against Wolves, that’ll be needed often to break through the lines.
Midfield: Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, Gabriel Gudmundsson
As a result of being a ‘back three’, I’m hoping Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle are pushing higher up once again to allow us chance to continue pressing incredibly high.
The fast start at Old Trafford came down to these two setting the tone out wide. They got past their markers and delivered crosses at will. Both put perfect balls into the box for our early chance and then opening goal. They’ve both had tremendous performances and consistency this season, but I think Monday was Gudmundsson and Bogle’s best displays in a Leeds shirt.
Through the middle, in the continued absence of Stach, we can’t go for anyone else than skipper Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka, surely?
I don’t think Man Utd will have seen many midfielders this season completely bulldoze them like these two did. That was truly an out-of-body experience in the first half, we were so good, and these two were instrumental.
Wolves’ midfield, though, are no slouches. Andre and Joao Gomes are serious players. Getting a grip of that battle will go a long way to claiming victory.
Attack: Brenden Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor
To complete the unchanged starting lineup, I think we’re all expecting that Brenden Aaronson and Noah Okafor will be flanking Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The star of the show at Old Trafford was Okafor. And, he’s cemented himself into this club’s folklore with that performance, scoring twice and stunning the Stretford End. That new chant about the winger, by the way, is immaculate.
Off the right, Aaronson will keep his place. He added a fourth assist of the season when he somehow beat Casemiro to a header, flicking back to Okafor for his second.
Up front, I do think it’s not wild to say that was one of Calvert-Lewin’s best performances for the club. Yes, his finishing was off, as was others’. But, everything else in his game was spotless and a core reason we bullied them lot.
The task for Calvert-Lewin stays the same: can he add more goals to his already strong season while maintaining everything he’s done so well already?
HIs link-up, his aerial presence, running channels, dropping deep, pressing high – he does everything you want of a striker in our position. It would just be nice if he got more goals, what his work deserves.
Full Leeds United predicted XI to face Wolves
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