Huge changes, star man benched and full league debut as Daniel Farke shakes up Leeds United team at Liverpool

Whites boss Daniel Farke has made big changes to his Leeds United team for the New Year’s Day evening first game of 2026 against defending Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield.

In four changes to the side, James Justin, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Ilia Gruev and Lukas Nmecha all start as Jayden Bogle, Noah Okafor and even star man Dominic Calvert-Lewin drop to the bench and the injured Joe Rodon misses out altogether.

Calvert-Lewin, who has netted in each of United’s last six games, is replaced by the fit-again Lukas Nmecha in the front line after his return from a hamstring injury from the bench in Sunday’s draw at Sunderland.

Gruev also comes into the midfield as Okafor drops to the bench whilst Farke’s answer to losing Rodon is a first Premier League start for Bornauw, seemingly alongside Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol in a three-man centre-back axis.

A further change sees first Justin start at right back as first choice right back Bogle also drops to the bench.

Farke named an unchanged side for Sunday's first game after Christmas at Sunderland but was forced into an early change as centre-back Rodon suffered two whacks to his ankle.

Three changes for Liverpool

Rodon attempted to continue but was eventually forced off as Ao Tanaka replaced him which led to a tactical reshuffle and switch to a back four in which Bijol partnered Struijk at centre-back.

Farke admitted post-match that Rodon’s injury did not look good and then revealed at Tuesday’s pre-Liverpool press conference that Rodon was looking at around three weeks having suffered ankle ligament damage, leaving the German with a big decision to make for tonight’s clash at Anfield.

Striker Nmecha returned from a three-match absence due to a hamstring injury as a second-half substitute at Sunderland, replacing Okafor who had again been selected to help partner Calvert-Lewin upfront.

Reds boss Arne Slot has made three changes to his Liverpool side as Conor Bradley, Andy Robertson and the back-from-suspension Dominik Szoboszlai all come into the team.

Federico Chiesa, Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister all drop to the bench.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Bradley, Jones, Ekitike, Robertson, Frimpong, Gravenberch. Subs: Mamardashvili, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Gakpo, Ramsay, Nyoni, Ngumoha, Lucky.

Leeds United: Perri; Justin, Bornauw, Bijol, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu, Gruev, Stach; Aaronson, Nmecha. Subs: Darlow, Bogle, Byram, Tanaka, Harrison, Gnonto, Okafor, Piroe, Calvert-Lewin.