Leeds United play their final game of the regular Championship season against Southampton today.
The Whites head into the fixture with the faintest of hopes of an automatic promotion spot as they sit third in the Championship, three points adrift of Ipswich Town.
In order to finish second, Leeds will need to beat Southampton and hope all but relegated Huddersfield Town are somehow able to win away at Portman Road.
There has been some suggestion from fans this week that Daniel Farke should make wholesale changes to his side ahead of the play-offs after last week’s 4-0 loss at QPR.
However, Ben Parker has completely disputed those suggestions and thinks Farke needs to go as strong as possible on the off chance Ipswich lose.
So, with that in mind, here is our predicted XI for the match.
Goalkeeper
Illan Meslier was shaky last week and has conceded seven of the last 10 shots on target he’s faced, but Farke won’t be changing his goalkeeper now.
Defence
Leeds’ back four was all over the place at QPR and so there needs to be some sort of change in there for today’s game.
Junior Firpo was arguably the only player to come out of last week with any sort of credit after a couple of wicked crosses, and so keeps his place on the left.
With Pascal Struijk out for the season, Farke has no choice to stick with the partnership that had been working so well in Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon.
Connor Roberts is not yet fit enough to start and so Archie Gray should start at right-back, with Sam Byram dropped to the bench.
Midfield
With Gray back in defence, Glen Kamara deserves a start having played just 11 minutes across Leeds’ last three outings. Against a possession-happy Southampton side, Leeds need a midfielder who can keep the ball in there, and Kamara provides that.
Despite a poor showing in the capital, Ilia Gruev keeps his place as Farke’s shield in front of the back four.
Attack
The second and final change Farke should make is up front, after an abysmal showing from Joel Piroe eight days ago.
Patrick Bamford remains doubtful for today’s clash and so there is no better time for Mateo Joseph to be handed a full league debut.
Georginio Rutter, Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville should be the ones to join £900k ace Joseph in the front four with Dan James still out injured.
Predicted XI: Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Joseph