Leeds United confirm XI vs Brentford as Okafor returns on bench | OneFootball

Daniel Farke has named his Leeds United side to face Brentford, with Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both starting and Noah Okafor fit enough for the bench.

Leeds host Brentford at Elland Road this evening, the last of four Saturday Premier League kick-offs. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, they are the first of four relegation rivals to play this weekend, ahead of Sunday games for West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, with Forest and Spurs meeting.

Leeds drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace last time, holding firm after Gabriel Gudmundsson was sent off in first-half added time. The Swede is suspended, so Jayden Bogle returns and James Justin switches to the left.

Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk form the back three. Karl Darlow keeps his place in goal for a 10th straight Premier League match after a clean sheet at Selhurst Park.

Okafor’s comeback from hamstring and hip issues leaves Leeds without any injuries, but he starts among the substitutes, replacing Gudmundsson in the squad. Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin get another chance to combine, though it remains to be seen if they will start together up front or, as at Palace, with Nmecha and Brenden Aaronson operating wide.

Anton Stach continues in central midfield following his first Germany call-up in four years, with Ethan Ampadu anchoring. Stach will have licence to influence the final third where possible.

Leeds XI: Darlow in goal, Rodon, Bijol and Struijk at the back, Bogle, Ampadu, Stach and Justin across midfield, with Aaronson, Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin. Bench: Perri, Bornauw, Gruev, Tanaka, Longstaff, Gnonto, James, Okafor, Piroe.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk