Will Leeds United stand up to be counted?
Thursday night’s loss to Aston Villa would have proved a turning point for the worse in this season in many minds as supporters weighed up the table and the team’s recent form.
With confidence hanging by a thread, head coach Jesse Marsch speaking of an Elland Road pressure on the players’ shoulders, can they deliver the performance they need to?
This is the time for these players to stand up and be counted. Some may go as far as to say if you are not beating the division’s worst team on your own patch you don’t deserve to be in the Premier League.
Will Bamford be risked?
After a limit of 10 minutes was placed on Patrick Bamford’s body eight days ago, will he really be ready to play a minimum of an hour from the start today?
Thursday’s half an hour seemed to pass off without too many issues, so the foundations are there for the number nine to build.
It’s a very tough call to predict. If you start from a position of caution on his injury record and importance, you slowly start to think more and more about how much this team needs a striker.
The Firpo chain reaction
Junior Firpo’s injury should trigger the first reshuffle of Marsch’s tenure, but who he moves and where will be intriguing to see.
Stuart Dallas has already been virtually confirmed as the side's left-back for Sunday, but will it be too simple to see Luke Ayling pushed to the right?
Could Jamie Shackleton even force his way in? The Robin Koch experiment has persisted in central midfield, but he may finally find a way back to central defence with this moving around.
Formation switch?
The predominantly 4-2-3-1 shape we have seen across the first two matches may get its first tinker from Marsch on Sunday.
After such a drab performance in the week, thoughts of change must be in the head coach’s mind to get a better tune out of the players.
We know 4-3-3, 4-2-2-2 and 4-4-2s have been used by Marsch in his past, but will he want to switch it up so early in his tenure?
The fan reaction
The nervousness, anger and frustration was palpable inside Elland Road on Thursday night as the second and third goals went in.
The pockets of protest aimed at the directors’ box would have made for an uncomfortable evening for Andrea Radrizzani and the club’s top brass.
Whether Sunday goes well or badly, how the stadium reacts to events, with the unifying presence of Marcelo Bielsa no longer around, will be fascinating.
