Thirty million-pound footballers are not often left on Leeds United’s bench, but Weston McKennie faces a real battle to start at the first opportunity this weekend. The Whites travel to the City Ground on Sunday for a 2pm date with Nottingham Forest.
It’s the first chance for the United support to see their shiniest new toy in the flesh, along with their slightly less shiny talents Max Wober and Georginio Rutter. While Victor Orta gets his feet up and admires the fruits of his January labours, it’s crunch time for Jesse Marsch.
Everyone has had February earmarked as a monumental month for a long time with bottom-half rivals sandwiching that four-day double-header with hated rivals Manchester United. McKennie told LeedsLive he was fit and ready to go on Monday night, but Jack Harrison, ironically the other big storyline at the end of the window, may be hard to pull out.
READ MORE: Inside Weston McKennie's first Jesse Marsch talks, Leeds United tactics and who he might replace
If we assume Marsch continues with a formation along the lines of his favoured 4-3-3, McKennie is pining for that third central slot alongside Tyler Adams and Marc Roca in the engine room. As a box-to-box midfielder, he can be defensively solid out of possession, but also bursting into attack to help the front three when the Whites have the ball.
We will hear from Marsch on Friday with the latest medical report, but based on what came out of last weekend’s win at Accrington Stanley, Wilfried Gnonto, Rodrigo and one other will make up the front three. That leaves McKennie battling with the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Harrison, Sam Greenwood and, assuming he returned to training as Marsch expected, Crysencio Summerville.
Aaronson is out of form, Greenwood is inexperienced and Summerville is going to be rusty at best in the East Midlands. McKennie has started five of the six matches Juventus have played since the World Cup and should be sharp enough to give Marsch pause for thought.
However, not only did Harrison’s performance at Accrington leave many feeling regretful about his potential exit, but it also means Marsch cannot leave him out. It may have been League One opposition, but there was enough quality from the number 11 to keep him in the side at Nottingham.
Even if he struggles to make an impact from the start and has to come off as early as half-time, Marsch cannot knowingly take someone out the side off the back of a man-of-a-match display.
READ NEXT:
Leeds United's next Jack Harrison move is clear before summer risk of cut-price transfer noise
Luton Town manager Rob Edwards makes 'no doubt' claim over Cody Drameh reunion
Leeds United statement on Jesse Marsch's future gloriously broke every January rule previously set
Diogo Monteiro's Leeds United loan route, 18-month test of patience, elegant and very skilled
Weston McKennie's foul-mouthed Leeds United admission sums up why he's joined Tyler Adams
