Leeds United line-up vs Blackburn predicted as Farke to make 'late decision' on attacking swap

Daniel Farke is not one to make wholesale changes to his starting line-up this season, sticking with an unchanged XI on a handful of occasions already this term. The German’s settled squad has delivered five wins from the last six outings and remains unbeaten at Elland Road in league and cup competition throughout 2023/24.

The Whites will be without Junior Firpo, Ian Poveda and Stuart Dallas for the visit to Lancashire this weekend but that still leaves plenty up for debate when it comes to who will take to the field at 12:30 on Saturday afternoon.

Poveda could soon be a full Colombian international after receiving his maiden call-up to the South American country’s squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Mexico this month. The Leeds winger has featured sporadically under Farke this season, and despite their fixtures not falling within one of FIFA’s designated international windows, Leeds have agreed to release the attacker for international duty after the player expressed a desire to participate.

Having taken a place on Farke’s bench in the majority of games this season, Poveda’s absence opens a spot for members of the squad recently omitted on matchdays. Farke mentioned up-and-coming forwards Mateo Joseph and Joe Gelhardt by name when debating who would come in to replace Poveda, but chose not to definitively state which player would be given the nod. He did suggest it would hinge upon performances in training on Friday and that a ‘late decision’ would be made.

Here is the starting XI we think Farke will name at Ewood Park.