Farke must unleash his “crucial” 6 ft 3 Leeds titan over Cooper

Leeds United will move back to third in the Championship if they can secure all three points against Swansea City at Elland Road this evening.

The Whites dropped down to fourth in the division after West Bromwich Albion’s win on Tuesday night but can move straight back ahead of the Baggies tonight with a win.

Daniel Farke’s side host the Swans in Yorkshire and are up against a side with one win in their last six matches, which has left the Welsh outfit 18th in the league.

Leeds will also be looking to pile the pressure on Ipswich Town, who also play this evening, as they could move to within four points of the Tractor Boys if results go their way.

The Whites come into this match off the back of a 1-1 draw away at Rotherham United last Friday night and will be looking to bounce back to winning ways this time out.

Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring with a fine finish into the far bottom corner before a strike from Hakeem Odofin secured a point for the hosts.

Leeds injury news

Farke has confirmed that Georgino Rutter is back to full fitness after an abdominal strain made him a doubt for the clash with the Millers.

The 21-year-old wizard still managed to start and register an assist in that game – his sixth of the season – and he is now back to 100% ahead of today’s clash.

Rutter has created 15 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 15 Championship starts, to go along with three goals, so far this season and has proved himself to be an outstanding option at this level who could be the difference-maker against Swansea at the top end of the pitch.

It has also been confirmed that club captain Liam Cooper is available for selection after being withdrawn with ten minutes to play against Rotherham due to cramp.

Djed Spence has been back in training with the Whites and could be involved in the matchday squad for the first time since his debut against Sheffield Wednesday at the start of September.

Archie Gray has been deployed at right-back, despite being a central midfielder by trade, and the Tottenham Hotspur loanee’s return to fitness could provide the 17-year-old talent with some strong competition for his place in the XI over the coming weeks and months.

Sam Byram and Pascal Struijk both started on the bench after their respective injury issues over the international break but Farke has revealed that they are both fit and available to feature against the Swans.

With all of this information in mind, the German head coach must now unleash Struijk from the start at Elland Road tonight and instantly ditch Cooper.

The Dutch central defender should return to the starting XI to partner Joe Rodon if he is 100% fit and able to be named in the line up as he has been a key figure at the back so far this season.

Pascal Struijk’s season in numbers

After the club’s relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, Struijk was provided with the opportunity to establish himself as the go-to centre-back for Leeds as the likes of Robin Koch and Max Wober secured loan exits away from Yorkshire.

He has grasped that chance with both hands and enjoyed a terrific start to the season with his commanding and progressive performances for the Whites.

In possession, the Dutch titan has showcased his ability to play out from the back under pressure and to play through the lines to build attacks and help the team to break down stubborn defences.

Struijk ranks within the top 5% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (5.82) and the top 29% for progressive carries (0.73) per 90 this term.

This shows that the impressive colossus has the requisite forward-thinking mindset and technical quality to progress his side up the pitch through passes and carries, and has been one of the best in the division in his position with the former.

Struijk has not allowed his silky play on the ball to detract from his defensive actions, though, as the Dutchman has made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 6.6 ball recoveries per match across 16 league outings, which shows that the 6 foot 3 star is able to win possession back for his side on a frequent basis.

He has also won 59% of his duels, including 60% of his aerial battles, and this means that the giant gem has been able to dominate opposition players in physical contests more often than not.

The 24-year-old ace has also avoided making a single error that has led to a goal or a shot for an opponent and is yet to give away a penalty, which illustrates how solid his performances have been.

Liam Cooper’s season in numbers

Struijk should be unleashed ahead of Cooper as the Scotland international has offered less for Leeds this season, both from an offensive and defensive perspective.

Out of possession, the 32-year-old veteran has made 1.9 tackles and interceptions and 3.2 ball recoveries per game across nine Championship appearances.

This shows that he wins the ball back far less often than his Dutch teammate, who has averaged more than twice as many ball recoveries per match. Cooper has, however, won 58% of his duels so far this season and can provide a similar level of strength in his physical battles.

The left-footed enforcer does not offer as much quality on the ball in comparison to Struijk. He ranks within the top 14% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (4.71) and is in the bottom 19% for progressive carries (0.20) per 90.

These statistics indicate that Cooper is not able to produce as much thrust in possession to push Leeds up the pitch and to find teammates in attacking positions to make things happen offensively.

Therefore, Struijk should return to the starting XI tonight against Swansea in place of the Scottish battler due to his superior quality on and off the ball.

Farke hailed him as a “crucial” part of his team earlier this season and the statistics back that up, which is why his inclusion this evening could be key to their chances of coming away with all three points.