Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed his starting XI for Leeds United's friendly at Stoke City this afternoon, with a host of first-team players getting a run-out against the Championship side.
Leeds are taking on Michael O'Neill's side at the Bet365 Stadium as they step up their preparations for their Premier League return which starts with a strip to Anfield to takes on Liverpool on September 12, but are without a host of players who are currently on international duty.
Skipper Liam Cooper is currently away with Scotland and he is joined on international duty by the likes of Gjanni Alioski, Kalvin Phillips, Stuart Dallas, Mateusz Klich and Illan Meslier while Tyler Roberts has been withdrawn from Ryan Giggs' Wales squad as an injury precaution.
New signings Rodrigo and Robin Koch are both away with Spain and Germany respectively and could face each other when the two European powerhouses face each other in Stuttgart on Thursday evening.
That means Kiko Casilla starts in goal in the Potteries, with a back line of Luke Ayling (who captains the side), Oliver Casey, Leif Davis and Barry Douglas.
Pascal Struijk is likely to start in defensive midfield, with Jamie Shackleton and Pablo Hernandez in front of him.
Helder Costa and Jack Harrison will play out wide and last season's leading scorer Patrick Bamford will lead the line.
Roberts is fit enough to make the bench for Leeds, alongside Ian Poveda, Robbie Gotts and Elia Caprile. We will provide updates in our daily Leeds United live blog here
Leeds United XI: Casilla; Ayling, Casey, Davis, Douglas; Struijk; Costa, Shackleton, Hernandez, Harrison; Bamford
Subs: Caprile, Poveda, Roberts, Gotts
