Raft of Leeds United changes likely but Marcelo Bielsa values Whites cup run and sell-out crowd awaits against Crewe

Leeds United's Premier League charge is up and running - and now it's time to begin a League Cup assault too.
By Lee Sobot
Published 23rd Aug 2021, 11:50 BST
Updated 23rd Aug 2021, 11:52 BST
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United's cup runs have not exactly been the best in recent years and nobody is complaining too much given where the club now finds itself after 16 years without Premier League football.

With everything geared around life back in the country's top flight, Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa seems certain to make a raft of changes for tomorrow evening's Carabao Cup clash at home to League One outfit Crewe.

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But that's not to say that Bielsa is belittling the cup competitions and on the contrary the Whites head coach has regularly highlighted their importance and his disappointment at previous early exits.

CHANCE GONE: Marcelo Bielsa saw his Leeds United side crash out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle last year after a defeat on penalties to Hull City, above. Photo by Phil Noble - Pool/Getty Images.CHANCE GONE: Marcelo Bielsa saw his Leeds United side crash out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle last year after a defeat on penalties to Hull City, above. Photo by Phil Noble - Pool/Getty Images.
CHANCE GONE: Marcelo Bielsa saw his Leeds United side crash out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle last year after a defeat on penalties to Hull City, above. Photo by Phil Noble - Pool/Getty Images.

Above all else, the cup competitions offer a perfect stage for United's youngsters to impress in, as well as those players on the periphery of the first team.

Contests in the Carabao Cup and EFL Cup provide a level of competition with a totally different intensity to United's under-23s games, even allowing for the fact that United's Academy is now at the top level and incidentally at home to Tottenham today in a 4pm kick-off at Thorp Arch.

It means Bielsa has two bunches of big decisions to make, both in terms of which first team squad members he makes available for today's 23s clash and then of course his side to take on Crewe.

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Amazingly, the club sold a mammoth 9,000 tickets for the second round contest on Saturday and the game is set to be played in front of a sell out crowd.

It's all coming together, and whilst the Premier League comes first, it's about time Leeds had a decent cup run.

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Leeds United issue message about collection of tickets for Crewe clash following...

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964

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Thank you Laura Collins

Related topics:Marcelo BielsaPremier LeagueLeague OneLeeds