Leeds United will be looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time since before the international break at Queens Park Rangers tonight.
The Whites kept their hopes of automatic promotion alive with a dramatic 4-3 victory away at Middlesbrough on Monday night, which was just their second win in six matches.
However, Leeds know nothing else but a win will do this evening, either, as they look to move four points clear of Ipswich Town ahead of their two games in hand at Hull and Coventry City.
Due to the short turnaround between matches, which has been labelled as ‘disgusting’ by pundit Jon Newsome, Patrick Bamford is a major doubt for Leeds after his goalscoring display at the Riverside.
Connor Roberts will also be missing for the second successive game, while Dan James is also ruled out after picking up an injury in the latter stages of the win at Boro.
Here is our predicted XI for tonight’s encounter.
Goalkeeper
Illan Meslier wasn’t great on Monday but keeps his place between the sticks as Farke’s trusted number one.
Defence
Tight turnarounds are never too kind to the availability of Sam Byram, though Farke did confirm today he is in contention, having been in an ‘ice bath for the last 48 hours’.
Elsewhere in defence it is more of the same despite the concession of three goals, as Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon continue their centre-back partnership.
Junior Firpo, of course, keeps his place on the left, having produced arguably his best performance in a Leeds shirt on Monday, with two assists and some key defensive interventions.
Midfield
Farke spoke highly about what Archie Gray can bring to Leeds’ midfield in his press conference yesterday, and so gets the nod ahead of Glen Kamara for the third match in a row.
That means Ilia Gruev will again join him in the middle of the park, with his defensive security providing Gray with the freedom to push forward.
Attack
Farke’s biggest call undoubtedly comes in the number nine role, with Bamford said to be suffering from some major bruising to his knee.
At the same time, it would not be a surprise if Farke was playing some sort of mind games ahead of this one, as Bamford keeps his place after his good performance the other night.
Willy Gnonto, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville all keep their places in the three positions behind the striker, after looking back to their best at Boro.
Predicted XI: Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Gray; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford
