Whites boss Daniel Farke made six changes to his team for last weekend’s third round FA Cup clash at Peterborough United as Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Dan James, Glen Kamara and Liam Cooper all dropped to the bench whilst Sam Byram missed out altogether due to a hamstring injury.
Junior Firpo replaced Byram at left back as Jamie Shackleton, Ilia Gruev, Jaidon Anthony, Willy Gnonto and Joel Piroe also all came into the side. Byram’s absence with a hamstring injury left Farke with six men out, the full-back joining Pascal Struijk (groin), Joe Gelhardt (glute), longer term absentee Stuart Dallas (femoral fracture) and back up keeper Karl Darlow (dislocated thumb) on the sidelines in addition to the suspended Illan Meslier who served the final match of a three-game ban.
Meslier is now back available for this weekend’s league return to Cardiff, ahead of which Byram and Gelhardt have both returned to team training in addition to Ian Poveda who Farke has revealed had been suffering from illness. But Struijk remains sidelined in addition to Darlow plus Dallas and Farke has also revealed that Cooper is a major doubt due to groin issues.
Luke Ayling has also now exited the scene having completed his move to Middlesbrough, leaving Farke particularly light on defensive options and this is the XI that we think will start United’s first league away trip of 2024 in Saturday’s 3pm kick-off in Wales.
1. GK: Illan Meslier
The Whites no 1 is now back from suspension and Farke confirmed at Thursday's pre-match press conference that Meslier would return in goal if nothing major happened in the next training session. The first change, in for Kristoffer Klaesson despite Klaesson's two from two clean sheets in the absence of first Meslier and then Karl Darlow. Photo: George Wood
2. RB: Archie Gray
Gray returned to his natural centre midfield position at Peterborough and duly excelled as Jamie Shackleton was given an outing at right back. Sam Byram has also since returned to training following his hamstring injury. But it remains to be seen whether Byram is deemed fit enough to start at either left back or right back and Gray returning at right back looks most likely after a bit of a struggle for Shackleton at Peterborough. Photo: George Wood
3. CB: Joe Rodon
So impressive since joining on a season-long loan from Tottenham and more of a banker than ever to start given the fact that Struik is out and Cooper is a major doubt. Just a case of who partners him. Photo: George Wood
4. CB: Ethan Ampadu
The natural thought would be that injuries to both Struijk and Cooper would present an opportunity for young defender Charlie Cresswell at centre-back but Ethan Ampadu instead dropped back from midfield into the position at Peterborough and there must be a strong chance of same again at Cardiff given Farke's very long answer and explanation on why Cresswell was not playing at present at his pre-match press conference. Photo: George Wood
5. LB: Junior Firpo
Much depends on Byram's condition when it comes to the full-back positions but there's clearly an element of about about him returning straight to the XI line up and just a second league start of the season for Firpo consequently looks likely following his own recent return from injury. Photo: George Wood
6. CM: Glen Kamara
Kamara dropped to the bench at Peterborough as Gray moved from right back into centre midfield to partner Ilia Gruev who was given a start in the middle of the park. But Kamara seems certain to come back into the XI at Cardiff and, as with the centre-back situation, it could be just a question of who plays next to him. A second change, in for Jamie Shackleton as part of a positional shift too. Photo: Jess Hornby