Nine changes was the precedent Jesse Marsch set in August when he last took Leeds United from Premier League to EFL Cup action. Illan Meslier and Diego Llorente were the survivors on that night against Barnsley in the Carabao Cup, which means there is any number of combinations he could go with tonight.
Little has changed in Meslier’s situation, so the Frenchman continuing seems likely. Luke Ayling, Llorente, Junior Firpo and Mateusz Klich are senior members of the dressing room in dire need of minutes.
You can imagine, out of respect if nothing else, the head coach puts them to use tonight. Liam Cooper seems an unlikely risk in the other centre-back slot, so Leo Hjelde, missing from the under-21s on Monday, may be a decent shout on the left.
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Sam Greenwood looks a certainty to start after his weekend exploits, with Marc Roca on more recent minutes than Tyler Adams. The American is one of the tight calls as one of the first names on this coming weekend’s teamsheet, but an important head alongside Greenwood in the middle.
Darko Gyabi, another who missed Premier League 2 action on Monday, is the alternative, but will Marsch consider that too inexperienced a double-pivot? Crysencio Summerville looks like one of the few who could survive from the Bournemouth win.
The in-form winger has not played a lot this season, should recover quickly and would be aided by playing through this purple patch. There are also not a huge amount of candidates for his shirt either.
Wilfried Gnonto for Jack Harrison looks an obvious switch given their contrasting form, while Patrick Bamford’s latest injury should mean the underplayed Joe Gelhardt is a shoo-in up top.
Predicted line-up: Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Hjelde, Firpo; Greenwood, Gyabi; Summerville, Klich, Gnonto; Gelhardt.
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