Predicted Leeds United XI vs Forest: Nico Elvedi decision and Daniel Farke’s midfield dilemma | OneFootball

Leeds open their Premier League campaign at the City Ground on Saturday, the first of two meetings with Forest there in four days, before a Carabao Cup tie on Tuesday.

Last season the same fixture ended 3-1 to Forest after Leeds had led through Lukas Nmecha, who is a target for Wrexham. According to Leedsunited.news, Oliver Glasner now leads Forest after leaving Crystal Palace.

Willy Gnonto and Gabi Gudmundsson remain unavailable. Gudmundsson suffered a hamstring problem against Liverpool in America, while Gnonto picked up an issue against Man United.

Farke is expected to continue with a 3-5-2, brought in at half-time at Man City last November. New signing Nico Elvedi pushes Jaka Bijol for the centre of the back three, and Forest may come too soon, though he could eventually replace the Slovenian. Decisions also linger in midfield and over the support for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Nmecha, Brenden Aaronson or Noah Okafor among the options.

The predicted XI mirrors the side that beat Augsburg 4-0 at Elland Road, unless Elvedi comes straight in. James Trafford starts in goal behind Joe Rodon, Bijol and Tarik Muharemovic, with Jayden Bogle and James Justin at wing-back. Ethan Ampadu anchors midfield, with Harry Wilson and Anton Stach just ahead, and Aaronson operating off Calvert-Lewin.

From the bench, Sean Longstaff, Elvedi, Okafor, Ao Tanaka and Nmecha could seek to influence matters. Hopefully Leeds fare better than last term.

Source: Leedsunited.news

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”