Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Sport
Joe Mewis

Marcelo Bielsa makes surprising change to Leeds United's starting XI for Aston Villa clash

Marcelo Bielsa has made one change to his Leeds United starting XI to face Aston Villa, with Helder Costa replacing Jack Harrison.

The Manchester City loanee has been a near ever-present under Bielsa over the past two years featuring in 101 of the last 103 games, but after he was substituted at half-time in two of the last three matches, Bielsa has opted to make a change.

That means that Mateusz Klich has won his fitness battle and retains his place in the starting line-up, despite limping off before the hour mark against Southampton on Tuesday evening.

Illan Meslier continues in goal, with a likely back-four of Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas.

Diego Llorente could be set to operate in the defensive midfield role with Klich and Tyler Roberts in front of them.

Alternatively, Llorente could turn out in defence, with Struijk in midfield.

Costa and the in-form Raphinha continue on the flanks, while leading goalscorer Patrick Bamford again leads the line.

A host of Leeds players continue to miss out, with Kalvin Phillips, Rodrigo, Jamie Shackleton, Ian Poveda and Robin Koch all missing again.

Harrison drops to the bench, alongside senior team-mates Kiko Casilla, Gjanni Alioski and Pablo Hernandez. A host the club's high-fliyng under-23s make up the rest of the substitutes, including Joe Gelhardt, who retains his place in the squad and Leif Davis is returns to the fray.

Villa boss Dean Smith will have to make do without his skipper Jack Grealish, who is nursing a lower leg injury.

Leeds start the match sitting tenth in the table, a point and two places below Dean Smith's side, meaning victory would see them move ahead of the West Midlanders.

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Dallas, Llorente, Raphinha, Klich, Roberts, Costa, Bamford

Subs: Casilla, Cresswell, Davis, Alioski, Jenkins, Huggins, Harrison, Hernandez, Gelhardt

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.