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's confirmed Leeds United line-up to face Brighton with two surprise absences

Leeds United have been forced into two changes for this afternoon's trip to Brighton, with Helder Costa and Kalvin Phillips missing.

In their places come Mateusz Klich and Robin Koch who takes a place in the starting XI for the first time since December following his knee injury.

Neither Costa or Phillips were namechecked during Marcelo Bielsa's pre-match press conference on Thursday, although the former was forced off against Manchester United following a heavy challenge from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Illan Meslier continues in goal, and is set to play behind an unchanged back-four of Luke Ayling, Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk and Gjanni Alioski.

Koch is likely to fill in for Phillips in the defensive midfield role, with Stuart Dallas in the number eight position and Mateusz Klich in front. Tyler Roberts is likely to join Jack Harrison on the flanks with Patrick Bamford leading the line.

Alternatively, should Brighton operate with two up-front, we could see a back-three of Llorente, Koch and Struijk.

Record signing Rodrigo is fit enough for a place on the bench after he missed Leeds' last three matches, with under-23s defender Cody Drameh earning his first place in a Premier League squad after being named among the substitutes.

Skipper Liam Cooper serves the final match of his three-man suspension, while Bielsa confirmed on Thursday that Raphinha would not be fit to face the Seagulls.

Leeds kick-off at the Amex Stadium sitting ninth in the Premier League table, eight places and 13 points ahead of their hosts.

Leeds United: Meslier, Alioski, Struijk, Llorente, Ayling, Koch, Dallas, Klich, Roberts, Harrison, Bamford

Subs: Casilla, Berardi, Drameh, Jenkins, Shackleton, Huggins, Rodrigo, Hernandez, Poveda

Brighton: Sanchez; Webster, Dunk, White; Veltman, Gross, Bissouma, Burn; Trossard; Maupay, Welbeck.

Subs: Steele, Moder, Mac Allister, Alzate, Propper, Connolly, Jahanbakhsh, Izquierdo, Zeqiri

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.