Leeds United play their first winter friendly in preparation of the Premier League's return this weekend as they face Elche. The Whites have been out training in Spain all week and will step foot onto the field for the first time in just under a month against La Liga's bottom-placed side.
Jesse Marsch will be without a number of first-team players this evening due to a combination of injuries and World Cup involvement, the first of which is in goal. Illan Meslier and Kristoffer Klaesson are both absent due to illness, meaning Joel Robles is likely to start in goal, though it wouldn't be a surprise if he shared 45 minutes with Dani van den Heuvel.
Rasmus Kristensen and Junior Firpo are all definite absentees this evening, while Robin Koch also felt some calf/Achilles discomfort earlier this week and Diego Llorente underwent hand surgery. Unless either are 100% fit, it would be pointless risking the pair at this stage and so the defence could have a makeshift look to it.
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Without a right-footed centre-back, it is likely two of Liam Cooper, Leo Hjelde and Pascal Struijk will start in the middle. Whoever does not from the latter two, will probably be at left-back, while Luke Ayling and Cody Drameh are Leeds' options on the other side.
Further up the pitch it gets even more complicated with Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Patrick Bamford all missing. Marsch will be looking to build the foundations of a new midfield two this evening given Adams' suspension against Man City, and at this stage Sam Greenwood looks best place to slot in alongside Marc Roca ahead of Adam Forshaw and Darko Gyabi.
Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville look set to start on either flank, with Rodrigo Moreno leading the line. In Aaronson's absence, it is unclear who will start in attacking midfield, though Mateusz Klich looks the best bet at this stage.
Joe Gelhardt, Wilfried Gnonto, Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph are all other options for Marsch in attack. Here is the full predicted XI for this evening's match.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Robles; Ayling, Cooper, Hjelde, Struijk; Greenwood, Roca; Harrison, Klich, Summerville; Rodrigo
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