Leeds United: Daniel Farke surely has to consider double change ahead of Derby County clash | OneFootball

FLW outline two major decisions Daniel Farke has to make ahead of Leeds Unuted's trip to Derby County.

Leeds United head to Pride Park to face Derby County on Sunday, with Daniel Farke's side aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the league table.

Farke's side know that a win would mean they will end 2024 on top of the Championship table after Leeds had the opportunity to reclaim top spot when they travelled to Stoke City on Boxing Day, after Sheffield United lost at home to Burnley earlier in the day.

They did just that in comprehensive fashion to cruise to a richly deserved 2-0 victory, sitting on 48 points from 23 games played at the halfway point in the campaign. Derby are the first side the Whites will face for a second time, with a trip down to Derbyshire in store for a Leeds team that have not fared so well on the road this term.

Derby are in good form themselves after they gave their survival hopes a huge boost with a 2-1 win over promotion candidates West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day as well.

Leeds United have difficult decisions to make against Derby

Farke's side look a seriously good bet to return to the Premier League, although they are helped by an embarrassment of riches in attack and a wealth of options in midfield, which they are now able to utilise with returning players from injury in recent weeks.

The previous two games finally saw Ethan Ampadu back in action in the starting line-up under Farke, playing at centre-back against Oxford and barely having to break a sweat, before operating as a robust out-of-possession yet calming in-possession presence in the foggy conditions at Stoke.

Having such a variety of profiles is undoubtedly a great asset for Farke, as he can tailor his approach to opponents that sit deep. This rotation also helps keep the players fresh across a long, demanding season, maintaining sharpness and avoiding burnout.

Stoke, however, presented a different challenge for Leeds compared to some of their recent away opponents, who have opted to sit in deep and soak up pressure to spring counter-attacks, or in compact mid-blocks, which limits space for Leeds' attacking play.

Away from home, the Whites have won just four of their 11 games thus far, with a further two draws as well. It's not necessarily a huge concern, but Derby will be more akin to the away games against Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, and Millwall in terms of their overall style and set up.

Leeds are full of confidence after they cruised to a 2-0 victory that could have easily been more against Stoke, with the Whites now unbeaten in five and having won four of those games. However, that means very little against a Rams side that will be hoping to cause another upset, with the newly-promoted team also winning six of their 11 home fixtures so far.

Derby are a far better home team than most of the bottom half of the division. The only team below the Rams with a better record at home is Luton Town. It highlights that the game is something of a potential banana skin away to Paul Warne's disciplined and aggressive side.

Daniel Farke must make two changes against Derby County

When 7pm rolled around and the Leeds line-up was announced ahead of the Stoke clash, one major decision stuck out as surprising and it was that of Ao Tanaka being named amongst the substitutes. The Japan international has been nothing short of outstanding since joining Leeds in the summer, but the headache for Farke is now fitting everyone in.

His vital captain is Ethan Ampadu, plus the consistent and stylish Joe Rothwell, have both proven to be key players for the team, but as has Tanaka. His decision was to opt for a double-pivot of Ampadu and Rothwell while Tanaka watched on from the bench, until he was introduced in the 80th minute with the three points already secured.

Farke has to find a way of playing them all if possible but Tanaka has arguably been the team's best player since his introduction into the side against Coventry City during the seventh matchday of the campaign. Rothwell has been subbed off in that period, but Tanaka was ever-present in each fixture before being rested against Stoke in midweek.

Derby are going to make it much more of an even contest at Pride Park, and you wonder if Farke has prioritised that game as one for Tanaka to start in. Ampadu's physicality and robustness out of possession is also vital, though. It leaves Rothwell, perhaps unfairly, as the likeliest to drop out.

It would be seriously harsh, but it is part of why you have a squad with quality players, so you can rotate to keep everyone fresh and not lose quality, but also because different match scenarios, game states, and contexts are also key factors when choosing the right players for the opponent, which is why Ampadu is needed against a player as aggressive and intense out of possession as Ebou Adams is:

You would expect that Ampadu will keep his place to retain that steel in midfield against the counter-attacks but also to combat a player of Adams' quality in what will be a far more physical battle in general. The same is true for their striker, which is where Farke has another important decision to make.

Joel Piroe bagged both goals away to Stoke, but he lacks the attributes to battle with opposition centre-backs, as well as the speed and frame to stretch the pitch. He is not a focal point or line-leading striker in the way Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford are, so it would make sense to rotate him out as well.

With three games in nine games, rotation is paramount. However, dropping a player that scored twice to secure the points in the previous away fixture is perhaps somewhat harsh, but it is also necessary. Leeds ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over Derby at Elland Road in November, and another three points will see them stay on top of the Championship table regardless of other results, but Rothwell and Piroe dropping out may be the best way of Leeds remaining there.