Leeds United travel to Middlesbrough on Monday night aiming to get back to winning ways after suffering a first home defeat of the season last weekend.
Daniel Farke’s side have not been at the races at all since the international break in March, but thankfully, neither have Leicester or Ipswich.
Expecting that to continue for any of those three would be wholly naive, though, and Leeds know they will need to put that right this Monday.
Leeds team news: Connor Roberts out for two games
The main bit of team news coming from Farke’s press conference on Friday was that right-back Connor Roberts is out for the next two games due to aggravating his muscular injury that he initially picked up in March while playing for Wales.
As for other updates, Jamie Shackleton is still out after missing the last three games through injury, and Pascal Struijk is still of course out for the season.
Here, we look at the lineup we predict Farke names for the trip to Middlesbrough on Monday evening…
The absence of Roberts being confirmed makes the lineup fairly straightforward in our opinion, with most of the positions picking themselves.
Illan Meslier obviously starts in goal, with his back four seeing Archie Gray revert back to the right side of defence, while Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu remain in the middle, partnered by Junior Firpo on the left side.
Leeds got barely any joy from full-back areas against Blackburn and that will be an issue that Farke has to overcome, especially to allow support for the wingers who have been outnumbered by teams sitting deep.
In defensive midfield, Gray moving into defence means Glen Kamara regains his spot in the side next to Ilia Gruev – a metronomic duo that could do with finding their rhythm for these final three games to re-establish Leeds’ dominance through the middle.
Middlesbrough v Leeds predictions
Farke was right to bring in one of Joel Piroe or Mateo Joseph against Blackburn, but the Dutchman did little to justify his selection and wrestle that starting berth back after a frustrating personal run in 2024.
It means he drops out to see Georginio Rutter back in the ’10’ position where hopefully this nine-day rest has allowed him to recover from his hernia issue totally, looking out of sorts massively since the surgery.
Newly-crowned Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville will need to prove why in the final three games, with partner in crime Willy Gnonto sure to help relieve pressure on the right wing, giving Leeds their most potent cutting edge from wide positions.
Up front, it could be feasible that we see Joseph start, but Leeds’ best form this season has been with Patrick Bamford up front, and this sort of away game is where the former Teessider could be vital, bringing Leeds’ other lightning-quick forward into the game via transition.
Much like many others from that Blackburn loss, Bamford has to prove why Farke would be showing faith in him, though.
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