Leeds United will be without Tyler Adams when they return to Premier League action against Manchester City. The midfielder was shown a red card during the Whites’ last outing at Tottenham Hotspur and he will be suspended for the clash at Elland Road against the champions.
He’ll be a huge miss, of that there is no doubt, with his tenacity and dogged determination in midfield posing problems for the Premier League’s elite throughout the season so far. As such, Jesse Marsch has a decision to make when it comes to his starting XI after Christmas and over the next couple of weeks he will be mulling over his options.
Of course, the man chosen to come into the side will have his work cut out against Pep Guardiola’s side and Marsch must consider how best to handle them. Here’s a look at three ways Marsch could go later this month.
Read more: Adam Forshaw decision to be made as Leeds United midfielder faces uncertain future
Experience
It seems the next cab off the rank when it comes to midfield options is the fit again Adam Forshaw, who made his first appearance since August last week against Elche. Forshaw has only made three Premier League appearances this season with a hernia issue seeing him miss the majority of the campaign so far.
However, he’s fit once more and he’ll be keen to get more minutes under his belt during friendlies against Real Sociedad and Monaco over the next few days. If he can catch the eye and avoid an injury setback, Forshaw might be given the nod to take on the champions, with his ability on the ball and work rate in the middle set to be taken into account.
Forshaw’s ability to sit in might also suit Marc Roca, who will be playing alongside Adams’ replacement in the middle of the park.
Youth
The last time Adams missed a game, Marsch found himself asking Sam Greenwood to fill in alongside Roca in the pivot positions. The youngster struggled to make a lasting impact against Fulham at Elland Road, though, and couldn’t prevent the Whites from falling to a 3-2 defeat.
However, Greenwood has seen success in the side since, stepping off the bench to help Leeds come from 3-1 down to beat Bournemouth on home soil, with his edge of the box effort kickstarting the comeback. The 20-year-old has the ability to pick a pass and his quick thinking is ideal when it comes to counter attacking.
Darko Gyabi provides Marsch with another youthful option in the middle of the park, but the 18-year-old would be making his Premier League debut should he be selected to take on his former club.
A change of shape
Of course, replacing a player that covers so much ground is always going to be tricky and Marsch may be tempted to alter the system in order to give his side more of a presence in the middle. A central midfield three could be an option, with one of the above options and one other playing alongside Roca in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 shape.
Brenden Aaronson has been known to play in a deeper midfield role in the past, while Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk have been seen in the middle, too, on occasion. Marsch has stuck with a 4-2-3-1 starting formation all season so far, but he could be forced into a change to shore things up without his star man in the middle.
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