Joel Robles has hardly been seen in a Leeds United shirt this season. The Spanish goalkeeper’s arrival last summer on a free transfer flew under the radar and prior to this weekend his game time had been limited exclusively to cup competitions.
However, he now looks set to have a major say on Leeds’ survival hopes over the remainder of the season after winning the battle to be Sam Allardyce’s number one. The head coach’s first United team selection for the clash with Manchester City was always going to intrigue with big calls to be made across the park.
The biggest decision without a shadow of a doubt, though, came between the sticks, with Allardyce opting to take Illan Meslier out of the firing line immediately on the back of his miserable performance last time out at Bournemouth. Meslier’s potential and talent is undeniable but having seen his form fall off a cliff in recent months, something clearly had to give.
