Two changes as Leeds United ace returns at Blackburn Rovers but star missing after fresh blow

Boss Daniel Farke has made two changes to his Leeds United side for Saturday’s lunchtime showdown at Blackburn Rovers where another win is needed to send the Whites back top.

The back from suspension Junior Firpo and Dan James both come into the XI as winger Manor Solomon drops to the bench and the injured Sam Byram misses out completely.

Left back Firpo is now back available having served his three-game ban for his headbutt on Millwall’s Danny McNamara in this month’s 1-0 defeat at The Den.

Byram had been deputising at left back but Byram suffered a hamstring injury during Wednesday night’s 3-0 win at home to Luton Town in which he was substituted for Max Wober just before the hour mark.

Byram was then sent for a scan on his hamstring injury, of which Leeds were waiting on results from. Farke was optimistic Byram would still be involved at Blackburn but the full back is not involved.

Largie Ramazani is now back in the mix upon recovering from an ankle injury and the Belgian reappeared as a late substitute in the midweek win against the Hatters.

Ramazani, though, is not yet considered an option to start and is again on the bench.

Isaac Schmidt returned to training this week after hernia surgery at the start of the international break but is not involved.

Club captain Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev remain out with knee injuries.

Rovers boss John Eustace has made one change to his Blackburn side which sees Owen Beck come into the XI as Ryan Hedges drops to the bench. Ex-Leeds loanee Lewis Baker is also amongst the Rovers substitutes.

Blackburn Rovers: Pears, Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Pickering, Tronstad, Travis (c), Dolan, Cantwell, Beck, Ohashi. Subs: Hilton, McFadzean, Gueye, Rankin-Costello, Hedges, Leonard, Buckley, Cozier-Duberry, Baker.

Leeds United: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Tanaka, Rothwell; James, Gnonto, Aaronson. Subs: Darlow, Debayo, Wober, Crew, Guilavogui, Ramazani, Solomon, Joseph, Bamford.

Referee: Lewis Smith.