The Eddie Nketiah quandary, Jack Clarke's involvement and Stuart Dallas, Barry Douglas injury latest - Leeds United Talking Points

What to do with Eddie Nketiah?

Arsenal loanee striker Nketiah remains the name on everyone's lips following his dazzling display as a late substitute in Wednesday night's 1-0 win at home to Brentford.

Nketiah admits he is a natural centre forward but Patrick Bamford again occupied the lone striker role from the start against the Bees with Nketiah then brought on for a somewhat off colour Pablo Hernandez with 13 minutes left.

Hernandez had been playing on the right flank and Nketiah appeared to line up on that side but the 20-year-old was popping up all over the place with his impressive energy and pace.

Bamford still had a reasonably good game despite missing a couple of chances and already Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa has a very tough decision to make as to whether Nketiah should now start and if so in which position and with which formation.

Nevertheless, a good problem to have and it's a similar situation with marquee summer signing Helder Costa who has also made a big impression off the bench in search of his first Whites league start.

Stuart Dallas and Barry Douglas injury latest

Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa were left with a big sense of what might have been last season given the horrendous amount of injuries, a point Bielsa again alluded to in his post-match Brentford press conference.

United actually began the new season with 'only' two injuries in Luke Ayling and Tyler Roberts who don't appear to be coming back any time soon but skipper Liam Cooper, Gjanni Alioski and Barry Douglas were all then rated as potential doubts for the Brentford clash.

Cooper and Alioski made it but Douglas missed out as Alioski came into the side at left back and Leeds might have suffered another injury during the contest itself through Stuart Dallas who was taken off with 12 minutes left with Bielsa thinking he was injured.

More will be revealed at Friday afternoon's press conference but Dallas in particular has been in fine form with Jamie Shackleton now very much on standby.

Will Jack Clarke be involved?

It speaks volumes about the strength of United's squad that a Premier League footballer worth £9m has not even made the bench for Leeds' last two games, even with injuries.

But Bielsa's hands are somewhat tied as clubs can only name five loanees in their match day squads and Nketiah, hugely impressive centre back Ben White and main summer recruit Costa are all obvious musts and the same applies to Manchester City loanee Jack Harrsion if in the form that he started the season.

That then leaves Lorient loanee French under-20s keeper Illan Meslier plus Clarke and Bielsa appears intent on having Meslier on the bench as his no 2 shotstopper with Alfie McCalmont and not Clarke coming on to the bench against Brentford as Douglas dropped out of the squad.

Clarke - and obviously his parent club Tottenham - will want the teen to get serious game time and it will be interesting to see how the situation is addressed.

Can Leeds start to kick clear?

We are clearly only four games into a 46-game marathon but three points now are as good as three in April and the quicker Leeds can open up a gap back to the teams outside of the automatic promotion places the better.

The Whites are level on points with second-placed Swansea City - the only other team with three wins and a draw but with a worst goal difference - but title second-favourites Fulham are already lurking behind in third on nine points along with fourth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Third-favourites West Brom are another point back on eight points in sixth and just behind Charlton Athletic on goal difference.

The Championship is impossible to predict with Norwich City's progress last year a fine example but Leeds definitely look worthy favourites, albeit very short odds with United already as skinny as 5-4.

A couple more wins and Leeds will probably go odds on and really the opportunity for another three points at bottom of the table Stoke City should be staring them in the face.

The Potters are a bit of a headscratcher considering the calibre of players they still have and with that in mind and the likely atmosphere Saturday's contest is just the sort of game that Leeds could come a cropper in, as was the case last season.

This time, though, as Bielsa has said himself, needs to be different and United could do with being completely ruthless with the division and opening up a big gap in order not to worry about the play-offs come the season run in.

Sounds simple and never is yet there is no denying Leeds have the squad and head coach to do it.