Leeds United return to action in the Championship tonight, with the daunting task of halting the indomitable Leicester City machine at the King Power Stadium.
Daniel Farke’s side have been impressive in the second tier after enduring a slow start, having been relegated from the Premier League after three years, and are now firmly in promotion contention, though the third-placed Whites are already 14 points behind the table-toppers.
Leeds team news
Avoiding defeat could be the goal tonight, with Enzo Maresca’s side winning 13 of their 14 matches this term, losing only to Hull City, and while Leeds have won four of their past five, losing tonight would provide the Foxes with a 17-point buffer already at this early stage.
Leeds appear to have found some real fluidity in offence and Crysencio Summerville and Dan James have been wreaking havoc on the flanks of late, so they will likely start.
Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe’s partnership down the centre has been up for debate, but again, Farke could stick with his guns there.
Junior Firpo could be in line for his first involvement of the campaign after returning to team training just shy of two weeks ago, but Joe Gelhardt is out for the foreseeable after
Joe Rodon, Sam Byram, also Summerville were all fitness concerns following the Huddersfield mauling, but Elland Road’s German gaffer has eased concerns of unavailability.
Archie Gray’s season in numbers
While the attacking department is unlikely to receive must tinkering, Farke will be wrestling with the best choice to quench the Foxes’ fiery frontline, with Stephy Mavididi particularly terrifying after signing from Montpellier in the summer, and might boldly opt to unleash precocious talent Archie Gray.
The 25-year-old Mavididi has posted three goals and assists apiece thus far and put in a sensational showing against Queens Park Rangers last time out, bagging a goal, an assist, and also making five key passes, as per Sofascore.
The experienced Luke Ayling has been a solid, industrious leader this season but might not fare well against the electric Leicester man, who ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref.
With this in mind, Gray could be the man for the job, having been praised by James for his talent, who said: “The ability he’s got is something that he can take to be one of the best players in the Premier League if not the world.”
Once hailed as “phenomenal” by ex-Whites forward Jermaine Beckford, Gray’s level this term has been just that, considering he is still only 17 years old, with the dynamic player starting 11 Championship matches thus far, though he was an unused substitute against Huddersfield last time out.
A 6 foot midfielder, the starlet has deputised at right-back for his past three league outings and starred against Bristol City last month, incredibly winning 11 of 14 duels, making seven tackles, and completing one key pass.
It is this kind of assiduous tenacity that could stifle Mavididi, effectively shutting down one of Maresca’s most important attacking outlets, as the English forward’s dribbling skills could be locked down by the teenage sensation, due to his tough-tackling nature.
Despite his youth, Farke must seriously consider deploying Gray from the outset once again, it would be a bold move indeed, but one that could pay dividends as the Yorkshire outfit seek to close the gap on the top two.
