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Joe Mewis

Illan Meslier absent as Marcelo Bielsa confirms Leeds United's starting XI to face Brighton

Illan Meslier is missing from Leeds United's starting XI to face Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon as Marcelo Bielsa six changes to the side that lost in the FA Cup at Crawley last weekend.

Meslier's absence from today's squad means Kiko Casilla keeps his place in the Whites line-up following a high-profile error for Crawley's second goal in the 3-0 defeat to the League Two side.

Bielsa is able to welcome back his skipper Liam Cooper to Premier League action after he plated 45 minutes last weekend following a recent abdominal injury that has seen him miss Leeds' last three league matches.

Cooper will likely partner Luke Ayling in central defence, with Stuart Dallas and Gjanni Alioski in the full-back positions. Should Brighton opt for two up front it will mean Leeds operate with a three-man defence.

Pascal Struijk is set to play in the defensive midfield role in the absence of Kalvin Phillips, who serves a one-match suspension after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season against Tottenham a fortnight ago.

Mateusz Klich returns in central midfield, with Rodrigo ahead of him. Raphinha and Jack Harrison will be on the flanks, while leading scorer Patrick Bamford leads the line again after sitting out the Crawley defeat.

Tyler Roberts returns to the bench after missing Leeds' last two matches and Diego Llorente is also back in the squad for the first time since last month's defeat to Chelsea. Teenager Elia Caprile is Leeds' substitute goalkeeper this afternoon.

Brighton boss Graham Potter has named former Leeds loan star Ben White in his starting XI.

Leeds begin the weekend sitting 12th in the Premier League table, five places and nine points ahead of Potter's side, who have not won in the league since November.

Leeds United: Casilla, Alioski, Ayling, Cooper, Dallas, Struijk, Klich, Harrison, Rodrigo, Raphinha, Bamford

Subs: Caprile, Jenkins, Davis, Llorente, Shackleton, Costa, Roberts, Hernandez, Poveda

Brighton: Sanchez, White, Webster, Dunk, Maupay, Mac Allister, Trossard, Gross, March, Burn, Veltman

Subs: Walton, Bissouma, Alzate, Tau, Propper, Zeqiri, Sanders, Jenks, Khadra

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