Leeds United’s squad is stretched but Daniel Farke can still put out a competitive starting XI
Daniel James has started the last two games at right wing-back(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Leeds United have endured their worst injury run of the season ahead of the trip to West Ham United – but luckily it does not matter with Premier League survival secured.
Gabriel Gudmundsson is out with a hamstring problem and Noah Okafor is still nursing his calf issue – the pair World Cup bound with Sweden and Switzerland respectively. Anton Stach did not get the call up for Germany but that was not to do with his ankle injury sustained last weekend.
The midfielder could have played if there was a game next week, according to Daniel Farke, with the issue a deep cut that required stitches rather than anything more sinister. But Sean Longstaff’s absence following a hernia operation means Farke has got a midfield quandary against West Ham on Sunday, with Ilia Gruev also out with a knee injury.
He travels to a very anxious London Stadium, inside which the Hammers will need to win to have any chance of survival, with just two fit senior central players – Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka, included in Japan’s World Cup squad, both set to start.
How Leeds deal with the limited numbers in the second half as energy drains could be key to getting a result. Furthermore, the top line of the team is slightly stretched with Okafor out. It seems likely that Brenden Aaronson will play in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 3-4-2-1 formation.
Maybe he will drop back into midfield later on if needed. Who the other wide number 10 will be is uncertain, and perhaps depends on whether Jayden Bogle is fit to take part.
Back in training, the right-back could make the cut and thereby allow Daniel James – Bogle’s replacement for the past two games – to push up behind Calvert-Lewin on the right.
Also back in training is Pascal Struijk following the hip issue that ruled him out of the win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
He is expected to make the cut and start alongside Jaka Bijol and Joe Rodon guarding Karl Darlow – out of contract this summer – in goal, while James Justin fills in on the left flank.
Predicted XI: Darlow; Rodon, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin; James, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin.