Frozen out Leeds United man returns to pitch for U21s as star of the season misses cup clash with injury

The Whites are without the likes of Darko Gyabi, Lewis Bate and Jeremiah Mullen, who each played prominent roles during the first half of the season, having all been sent on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.

United's 21s are also without first-team fringe player Mateo Joseph who was the youngsters' skipper and top scorer last season, due to matchday involvement with the senior squad.

In his place, returning loanee Sonny Perkins comes back into the side, having found himself frozen out of several matchday squads during a brief stint with League One side Oxford United earlier this season. The 19-year-old featured just six times for the U's and failed to make a league start under head coach Liam Manning, or his replacement Des Buckingham and was subsequently recalled to Thorp Arch.

This term's Under-21s protagonist Sean McGurk is missing from Scott Gardner's first official squad as newly-appointed 21s boss - the Merseyside winger is understood to be out with an injury. Meanwhile, Northern Irish youth international Charlie Allen is only fit enough for a place on the bench.

A victory in York this evening will put Leeds through to the quarter final of the competition, but reigning champions PSV stand in their way. The Dutchmen are also seeking a win on English soil in order to guarantee their spot in the Last 8.

U21 XI vs PSV: Christy (GK), Sutcliffe, Monteiro, Debayo, Hjelde, Toulson, Coleman, Crew, Snowdon, Perkins, Thomas

Subs: Ombang (GK), Allen, McFadden, Cline, Richards, Wilson, Chadwick

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