The one change we can all agree on has finally hit Jesse Marsch’s desk. After a few weeks of pushing from the media and fans for Kalvin Phillips to return, Leeds United will start the England international on Monday night.
Adam Forshaw’s injury and Diego Llorente’s patchy form make it a simple choice of Mateusz Klich alongside Phillips in the double pivot. I’d prefer to have Robin Koch alongside Liam Cooper in the middle of defence while Stuart Dallas, the other senior option, must remain at left-back as the sharpest option there.
Llorente did play his part in the clean sheet at Watford, but he has looked shaky at times in recent matches and Koch is a Germany international in that position, after all. He memorably played very well alongside Liam Cooper in the early months of last season too.
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The other change in my side is almost as predictable as Phillips’s return. Week after week, Joe Gelhardt’s credentials are reiterated, but he hasn’t found the training rhythm to force his way in.
The other route I may have taken would have shuffled Rodrigo forward with Klich in behind him, but he is engaged further back alongside Phillips. The Daniel James experiment continues to frustrate in the frontline and the impression Gelhardt makes at almost every turn is hard to ignore.
Beren’s XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips, Klich; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; Gelhardt.
