The flexibility and decisions for Marcelo Bielsa as he picks Leeds United XI for West Ham United FA Cup tie

This will be attempt number four at escaping the third round of English football’s foremost knockout competition, having lost to QPR, Arsenal and Crawley Town in his first three seasons in charge of the Whites.

It’s a record he wants to be rid of, but the first of back-to-back London Stadium visits comes at an awkward time for Leeds.

Their injury situation was so dire that when a handful of Covid-19 cases were recorded among the first team, the Premier League accepted that Bielsa could not field a squad for the festive period fixtures against Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Since then it has eased, somewhat, with the return from isolation of Diego Llorente to partner Robin Koch, fit again after hip surgery, in the heart of the Leeds defence.

And while Tyler Roberts limped off against Burnley, Bielsa should finally be able to count upon Patrick Bamford this weekend. The top scorer of the last two seasons returned from a September-sustained ankle injury that kept him out for nine games only to injure his hamstring celebrating a late equaliser against Brentford and sit out the last six.

If the recent contributions of Joe Gelhardt are anything to go by, there should be no pressure on Leeds to rush Bamford back into competition. The youngster could start, with the elder statesman making a second-half entrance, or vice versa. Both will be champing at the bit to cause chaos.

Elsewhere there isn’t too much wiggle room for Bielsa if he wants to give Leeds the best chance of going through.

Illan Meslier has to play, of that there is no doubt. His understudy Kristoffer Klaesson has cut a beleaguered figure in goal for an Under-23s side struggling to marry its obligation to support the first team with personnel and its ability to secure Premier League 2 results.

Any goalkeeper being exposed in the way Klaesson has would require a sturdy constitution to remain full of confidence but errors have crept into his game to an extent that throwing him in against West Ham right now just cannot be an option.

Other 23s with what seems like a better chance of making this game would include Cody Drameh, if Bielsa wants to give Luke Ayling a rest, midweek hat-trick scorer Crysencio Summerville or maybe, just maybe, Lewis Bate will make his breakthrough.

Given the importance of Ayling right now, amid a defensive injury crisis that is keeping Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk, Charlie Cresswell and Jamie Shackleton out, Bielsa might feel a little tempted to rest a man who can play so well at right-back or centre-half.

Whether Leeds would have sufficient leadership on the pitch, particularly of the vocal kind, without Ayling, could also be a consideration though.

Summerville has already enjoyed first-team cameos and took his Premier League Cup goals very well against Sunderland 23s, so presents at least an option for Bielsa to rest one of Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Daniel James. The Brazilian has international duty on the horizon when his team-mates will be without fixtures, whereas James is building his way back to full fitness after a groin problem and Harrison will be hoping to continue picking up momentum after a goalscoring impact against Burnley.

Bate is the most interesting one and a player who has shone for the 23s without, evidently, doing quite enough to convince Bielsa he’s ready for senior action. Who he would replace is difficult to say.

Adam Forshaw is the most likely candidate at the club to deputise for the injured Kalvin Phillips in front of the back four, certainly while Koch is required at centre-half and if Struijk remains out, Mateusz Klich is likely to be required as an attacking midfielder in the expected absence of both Roberts and Rodrigo, although Stuart Dallas can play almost anywhere and his presence alone gives flexibility.

Sam Greenwood is an outside bet for the number 10 role and has developed an on-field relationship with Gelhardt in the 23s.

All of this said, the fact that a full week has existed between the last game and this one, and another will exist between this one and the next one, makes it very possible that Bielsa goes as strong as possible.

Sunday is a chance to set a tone in a dress rehearsal for the Premier League meeting. It’s also a chance to keep form and the feelgood factor flowing. He’s an impossible man to predict so rule almost nothing out, other than an incredibly difficult game for whatever XI he puts out.