Sport nationBREAKING: LEEDs United now in Trouble as Daniel Farke will likely make the Wrong decision that will put the club in turmoil by……
OPINIONDaniel Farke may finally rip off the Leeds United plaster his team needs in do-or-die Boro visit
Leeds United visit Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium in the Championship on Monday night and here are five things to look out for around the match
Daniel Farke has big decisions to make for Leeds United at leeds
One enforced change will be needed from Daniel Farke tonight as Leeds United deal with the injury to Connor Roberts. The Wales international has suffered a reoccurrence of the injury he picked up on national duty last month.
The manager acknowledged he had tried his best to manage the right-back’s return, but he was not cautious enough. Is Archie Gray immediately returned to that slot on the field or does Farke want to preserve his nascent partnership with Ilia Gruev in the engine room?
It could come down to whether Farke wants Sam Byram or Glen Kamara in his team.
Roll some dice in attack?
Patrick Bamford has had one effective start in attack since mid-February, while Joel Piroe has not looked like the answer in the line-up or from the bench this calendar year. After one win in five and do-or-die territory virtually upon us, is it time Farke throws caution to the wind?
Mateo Joseph came of age with 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge against Trevoh Chalobah and Axel Disasi that yielded two goals and he’s rarely looked off it since. Farke has already said he likes to change his attack if it has drawn a blank in the previous game, so it all seems set up for the Spaniard.
A half-century for Farke
Tonight will be Farke’s 50th match in the dugout as Leeds manager. Up to now, he has delivered 29 wins, 11 draws and nine defeats since arriving last July. That’s a 59 per cent win rate and the best in the club’s history for bosses who have taken charge of more than four matches.
Of course, we are talking about one season in the second tier with a squad good enough for promotion, but the German does deserve a lot of credit for how this campaign has unfolded.
Part one of the big Ipswich pressure plan
If Leeds are to really turn the screw on Ipswich Town while they get through a fortnight without a game, they have to win tonight and complete part one of the scheme. A win tonight takes Leeds back into the top two, one point clear, and a second victory on Friday night at Queens Park Rangers turns it into a four-point advantage.
That kind of clear air should put some seeds of doubt in Suffolk minds, which will be watching the Leeds game on Friday night from their East Yorkshire hotel rooms.
Avoid a season’s worst record at the worst time
If United do not win tonight it will be the longest winless streak of the season for the Whites and, clearly, at the worst possible time. Going four games without a win is never going to cut the mustard in a promotion run-in in April.
Get Leeds United news to your phone with our WhatsApp community
Want the inside track on transfers? There’s now a way you can get breaking news and the best reads sent straight to your device. By joining the Leeds United community on WhatsApp, you’ll see the biggest and best stories as soon as they happen.
It’s quick and easy to join. Just click this link and select ‘Join Community’ to get started.
No one else in the community will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from the Leeds Live sports team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking ‘Exit Group’. You can read our Privacy Notice here.
Sport nation