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Joe Mewis & Joe Donnohue

Leeds United line-ups as a change in formation beckons for West Brom trip

The games are coming thick and fast for Leeds United now as they prepare to face West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening.

Marcelo Bielsa's side will be in action just 52 hours after the final whistle blew on their 1-0 win over Burnley, leaving little time for rest and recuperation after a gritty hard-fought three points.

“There's procedures to facilitate and to speed up the recovery of the players all the teams use,” Bielsa said when asked about the challenges of so little downtime between matches.

“[They are] linked to hydrotherapy and kinesiology, nutrition and the rest.”

Bielsa on Leeds United's defending and Pascal Struijk's influence

These methods, however, will not be enough to solve his side's defensive crisis as his three first-choice centre-backs all remain sidelined.

So how should the Whites line-up against Sam Allardyce's side?

Here, our Leeds United reporters share their preferred starting line-ups...

Joe Mewis

The makeshift back-three of Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips and Pascal Struijk dug in and produced an excellent display on Sunday, but I think we can make a fairly safe assumption that Big Sam won't be remotely tempted to deploy two upfront on Tuesday evening.

That will mean Leeds revert to a back-four and with Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch all still absent, Bielsa is left with two from the three that starting defence against Burnley. As good as Phillips played at the back, I want to see him back in midfield where he can assert a greater influence. That also means you get more out of Mateusz Klich, who struggled in a deeper role against the Clarets.

The rest of the team should pick itself. A more balanced midfield will also hopefully mean we get more out of Rodrigo after a couple of quiet displays. Pablo Hernandez waits in the wings should he be needed to unlock what will no doubt be a compact and organised Baggies defence.

Joe M's XI: Meslier; Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski; Phillips, Klich, Rodrigo, Harrison, Raphinha; Bamford

Joe Donnohue

It makes little sense to change a winning team but I think we'll see a return to a back four against West Brom who under Allardyce are making it abundantly clear that attacking is becoming an afterthought. The lone frontman - likely to be Karlan Ahearne-Grant - will mean Leeds set up with a back four once again and Pascal Struijk should reprise his role alongside Luke Ayling in central defence.

There could be an argument that Leeds should rest players given that it is 52 hours between kick off at the Hawthorns and the final whistle being blown against Burnley just yesterday, but Bielsa is unlikely to make wholesale changes.

Mateusz Klich's place in the team is for the first time this season under some scrutiny, after a string of sub-par displays, but that should not be enough to see him dropped. Even if Pablo Hernandez makes his return to the starting XI in place of the Pole, that would likely be a response to how West Brom intend to set up, with very little attacking intent.

Patrick Bamford's ten goals in 15 games means there is no doubt that he will continue his run in the side as he blazes a trail to lift the Golden Boot.

Ultimately, it would not be surprising to see an unchanged XI, even despite the closeness between the two post-Christmas fixtures.

Joe D's XI: Meslier; Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski; Phillips, Klich, Rodrigo, Harrison, Raphinha; Bamford

Now it’s your turn to have your say on how you think Leeds United should line up at The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening.

Choose your preferred starting Leeds XI by using the team selector above.

And don’t forget to share your starting lineup with us on our Twitter and Facebook channels or in the comments below.

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