YEP Jury: Eddie Nketiah must be in line to start for Leeds United against Birmingham City

Our panel of fans debate whether it's time for Marcelo Bielsa to start Eddie Nketiah in tomorrow's clash with Birmingham City.
Eddie Nketiah.Eddie Nketiah.
Eddie Nketiah.

ANDY RHODES

They say a week is a long time in football and, as if you didn’t know already, Leeds United are celebrating 100 years of them this week.

Tomorrow’s game against Birmingham City will be nothing short of momentous, both on the pitch and off it.

Patrick Bamford.Patrick Bamford.
Patrick Bamford.
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While it will be party time off the pitch, on it Marcelo Bielsa has a number of challenges to overcome.

After a midweek hat-trick for England Under-21s, Eddie Nketiah made public his disappointment at his lack of league starts. Although Bielsa is usually set in his ways with regards to his starting XI, is now the time for change?

The defeat at Millwall last time out feels like a lifetime ago now, and the occasion on Saturday could give Leeds a welcome boost.

Gaetano Berardi will be available following his reprieve from the FA, but the main question is exactly who will start up front.

Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching team.Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching team.
Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching team.
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Leeds United and its fans have experienced it all in the last 100 years. Here’s to 100 more.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Birmingham City 1.

DAVID WATKINS

The international break seemed interminable – an interruption to our search for the holy grail of promotion.

Leeds United fans in full voice.Leeds United fans in full voice.
Leeds United fans in full voice.

In many ways, all it did was shine a magnifying glass over the big question we were grappling with after the Millwall defeat:

“Should Eddie Nketiah be starting?” Eddie banged in four more for the England Under-21s this break, making 10 in 13 games for club and country – surely that’s been noted by Marcelo. Will he feature against Birmingham?

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Blues arrive at Elland Road for our Centenary Game under former Leeds staffers Pep Clotet and James Beattie and will, as always, be tough opponents, despite a mixed start to the season.

Blues sit 12th but with only six points fewer than leaders West Brom, such is the congestion in the table. Usually tight in defence, Blues’ problem has been scoring goals, only four sides having scored less.

After a run of three defeats, they did win their final game before the break, a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough and two wins on the road, at Brentford and Charlton, show they are not to be underestimated.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Birmingham City 1.

MATTHEW EVANS

Our 100th birthday seems to have coincided with another familiar crunch point in the club’s history.

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You can sense the unrest around the club about our imperfect start, the performances of our summer signings and some of the noises coming from Eddie Nketiah’s camp over the international break.

These are the moments when Leeds United fans are really their own worst enemy.

Panicky, irrational and impatient – albeit with very good reason.

I can guarantee that the chances of the post-Marcelo Bielsa Leeds United being an improvement on what we have now are very, very slim.

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We have little choice but to trust him and the squad to make it count where it matters.

Birmingham were a thorn in our side last season and are deserving of retribution but, if any club is going to lose its centenary celebration game, then it’s ours.

Just watch all hell break loose if I’m right.

I hope I’m wrong.

Prediction: Leeds United 1 Birmingham City 2.

KEITH INGHAM

Yesterday the club turned 100 years old and tomorrow a packed Elland Road will, hopefully, celebrate with a win after the international break.

The club has seen many ups and downs through their history, many great players have trodden the pitch of the famous old ground and all of us have their own favourite moments from watching them over our time as supporters.

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Marcelo Bielsa has said previously that he listens to the supporters and maybe this is the time to incorporate Bamford, Costa and Nketiah in the starting line-up to try and boost the goals output. The Arsenal striker has shown in his outings with England that he certainly knows where the net is; he hit four in two games, including a hat-trick for England Under-21s against Austria.

Adam Forshaw and Pablo Hernandez may once again be absent if they haven’t recovered from their injuries. Leeds have certainly missed the pair in recent games, especially Forshaw who was very impressive in his games before a muscle injury sidelined the midfielder.

City did the double over Leeds last season and, hopefully, Leeds will be able to turn the tables on their Midlands opponents and put pressure on the teams above them.

I’m really looking forward to the game because it’s not every day you get to see your team pass its very special birthday.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Birmingham City 1.

SHAUN SMITH

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This week marks a hundred years since Leeds United last won a home game comfortably!

Ten decades of heartbreak and anxiety and it is fitting that Marcelo Bielsa is here at this special landmark in the history of the club, bringing with him a brand of football sublimely exquisite yet nail-destroyingly frustrating.

Indeed, this is Leeds United, chronic under-achievers and rarely mediocre.

The Brummies arrive under the guidance of a Bielsa disciple in Pep Clotet, a thoroughly decent chap and insightful enough to have probably got Leeds ‘worked out’.

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He will look to put men in the space through which Bielsa sides pass the ball, thus threatening to put a dampener on the birthday party.

Clotet should be respected and is a candidate for continuing the Bielsa legacy.

All the indications are there in this Leeds United squad but we may have to wait a little longer to give someone a hiding as Birmingham aren’t coming here to simply ‘roll over’.

Prediction: Leeds United 1 Birmingham City 1.

MIKE GILL

Another massive game to restart the Championship campaign.

The extra hype surrounding the ‘Centenary Match’ will only lift expectations even more and it is a moot point as to whether this will help the cause or not.

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The fact is that the United team are going to have to get used to these occasions if they are to end the season with a proper celebration.

Eddie Nketiah is clearly champing at the bit after hitting a fine hat-trick for the England Under 23s against Austria.

With all the discussions that abound on social media: Eddie? Patrick Bamford? or both, it is good to remember that

Marcelo Bielsa’s dilemma is the nicest problem to have. In a way it is pointless to speculate. He will make his decision and stick to it.

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Pep Clotet brings his Birmingham side who will be hell bent on spoiling the party.

He has done a decent job since slipping into Gary Monk’s shoes but hopefully they will not be good enough to cause an upset.

Prediction: Leeds United 3 Birmingham City 1.