Boss Jesse Marsch made seven changes to his side for Sunday’s third round FA Cup clash at Cardiff City for which Pascal Struijk, Crysencio Summerville, Brenden Aaronson and Willy Gnonto were the only players to start who also lined up in the midweek league hosting of West Ham United.
Joel Robles, Rasmus Kristensen, Diego Llorente, Junior Firpo, Darko Gyabi, Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt all came into the side as Illan Meslier, Luke Ayling, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper, Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Rodrigo dropped out. Meslier had a muscular issue with his kicking leg whilst Cooper and Koch were suffering from glute strains. Harrison and Roca were not at 100 per cent and therefore on the bench which featured new signing Max Wober who made his Whites debut in the second half. Adams, meanwhile, was rested by design due to the Achilles issue he suffered at the World Cup.
Patrick Bamford, Luis Sinisterra, Adam Forshaw, longer term absentee Stuart Dallas and also Archie Gray were already known to be out injured but Marsch revealed at Thursday’s pre-match press conference that Bamford had returned to training and would be in the Whites squad to face Villa.
Marsch, though, also revealed that Summerville was now facing a month out with an ankle injury, joining Sinisterra and Gray on the sidelines. But there was no report of any other injuries from Marsch who said Meslier was fine to play and Cooper has already revealed this week that he would be fine to return on Friday night.
Villa and Leeds will do battle in an 8pm kick-off under the Villa Park lights and this is how we think Leeds will line up.
1. GK - Illan Meslier
Meslier missed Sunday's FA Cup clash at Cardiff due to a muscular issue with his kicking leg but Marsch said the Frenchman was ready to play at Thursday's pre-match press conference and the Iceman is streets ahead as first choice custodian and indeed clearly one of United's most prized assets. Photo: Stu Forster
2. RB - Luke Ayling
It's hard to be sure who is Marsch's idea of 'first choice' right back at present but Ayling has started United's last two league games and Rasmus Kristensen had a bit of an afternoon to forget at Cardiff so everything probably points to Ayling coming back into the side. Young Cody Drameh is the alternative and surely worth a shout at some stage. Photo: Stu Forster
3. CB - Liam Cooper
Cooper missed out at Cardiff due to a glute strain but said he felt good and strong this week and that he would be back for the next game. He should provide a welcome boost to a back line that was all at sea at Cardiff in the first half. Photo: Stu Forster
4. CB - Robin Koch
A glute strain also ruled Koch out against Cardiff but there was no mention of the German having any issues at Marsch's pre-match press conference and all things being equal he will return to the side alongside Cooper at the heart of the defence. However, it would be no surprise to see new signing Max Wober at centre-half at some point and there is always the option to shift Pascal Struijk over from left back too. Much depends on where Marsch sees Wober starting, and when. Photo: Stu Forster
5. LB - Pascal Struijk
A hard one to call as Wober is clearly a new left back option and Junior Firpo is now back in the mix too. But Wober said after last week's debut as a second-half substitute that his first goal was to reach 100 per cent fitness following a recent four-week break and it might be that Struijk stays at left back against Villa, at least to start with. Photo: Michael Steele
6. CM - Tyler Adams
The question mark regarding the Whites midfield is whether Marsch lines up with a 4-2-2-2 or a 4-3-3 but either way Adams is the first name on the team sheet if fit and ready to roll. Marsch said the USA international star was feeling much better following his Cardiff absence and would be back in training this week. Photo: Stu Forster