Beren Cross
Tyler Adams’s return from suspension should give everyone at Leeds United a lift on Tyneside. The USA captain has arguably been the player of the year so far and his involvement will improve the team at Newcastle United, no doubt about it.
The 23-year-old comes straight into the team I would pick at St James’ Park. There is no surprise in that, but there is a temptation to make more switches.
Luke Ayling, Cody Drameh, Mateusz Klich and Crysencio Summerville are all names I would like to see influencing this match from the start, but where would they fit? Rasmus Kristensen has given me no reason to see him axed.
Meanwhile, Adam Forshaw’s impressive turn against Manchester City pushes me away from any idea of switching from three central midfielders to three centre-backs for Ayling’s benefit. Forshaw’s display also keeps Klich out of the side, while there’s no space for a rusty Summerville either.
Rodrigo is the club’s top scorer and came off early in midweek. Brenden Aaronson remains the most consistent attacker in the squad and Wilfried Gnonto is currently the only player hurting opposition defenders.
Gnonto did play the full 90 on Wednesday and Jesse Marsch could be minded to rotate, but I’ll back the 19-year-old’s youthful powers of recovery to tear up the Toon tomorrow. Sam Greenwood, decent in patches, but generally overwhelmed by City, makes way for Adams.
Liam Cooper’s off-field influence outweighs his part in City’s second goal and keeps him in my side too.
Beren’s XI: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Forshaw, Adams, Roca; Rodrigo, Aaronson, Gnonto.
Will Jackson
Wednesday’s game is difficult to reflect on. The Whites were utterly outclassed on the night by Manchester City, but I didn’t leave Elland Road thinking a whole heap of changes needed to be made to the starting XI ahead of the weekend.
As such, if everyone is good to go again after such a short turnaround, I’d look to keep things relatively similar. That means Illan Meslier in goal, playing behind a back four of Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk.
The defensive line made a few mistakes on Wednesday, of course, and they weren’t always stable as a unit, but I don’t see clear improvement coming from elsewhere in the squad. The only change I would make is the reintroduction of Tyler Adams, who is available again after serving his one-game suspension on Wednesday night.
That’s no slight on Adam Forshaw, who I thought played well against Man City, but Adams just brings a little more to the team, in my view, and he could slot into the club’s new-look midfield three well.
Sunderland-born Sam Greenwood will be itching to play against the Magpies and his set-piece delivery and ability to switch roles when in and out of possession, makes him the obvious choice, for me, to play alongside Adams and Roca in the middle. Wilfried Gnonto did more than enough against City to keep hold of his place.
However, I would be looking to reintroduce Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville at some stage off the bench, in order to manage game time while the games are coming thick and fast. Joe Gelhardt ought to have a big role to play as a sub, too.
Will’s XI: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Greenwood, Adams, Roca; Aaronson, Rodrigo, Gnonto.
READ NEXT:
- Erling Haaland lives out his 'craziest fantasies' after Man City brace against Leeds United
- Leeds United trio answer questions as Manchester City's gulf in class shows
- Leeds United player ratings as Cooper horror pass headlines poor day for possession in Man City loss
- Liverpool announce final blow in Leeds United’s Cody Gakpo chase
- Leeds United 1-3 Man City highlights as Haaland brace seals comfortable win for champions
