Nine changes, new faces full debuts, Calvert-Lewin call in Leeds United team news at Sheffield Wednesday

Whites boss Daniel Farke has made nine changes to his Leeds United side for Tuesday evening’s Carabao Cup clash at Sheffield Wednesday which features new faces full debuts and summer striker signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin on the bench.

Ilia Gruev and Joel Piroe are the only two players to start who also lined up for Saturday’s second game of the Premier League season at Arsenal.

Summer signings Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw both make their Whites debuts whilst Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha get their full debuts after so far having minutes from the bench.

Keeper Karl Darlow, Sam Byram, Jack Harrison, Sean Longstaff, Brenden Aaronson also all come into the XI whilst Calvert-Lewin and also young striker Harry Gray are among the substitutes.

It also looks likely that Harrison will be playing as a left back on his first start since returning to the club after two seasons away on loan at Everton.

Farke had warned upon Calvert-Lewin joining the club earlier this month that after the September international break might be a more realistic timeframe of when the striker would be fully ready.

Farke, though, also stated that he hoped it might be sooner and the Whites boss considered taking the new forward to Saturday’s Premier League clash at Arsenal which Calvert-Lewin ultimately missed.

Farke had already declared that he would make more changes than would normally be the case for a cup tie tonight due to the clear priority of survival in the Premier League in which his men take on Newcastle United at Elland Road on Saturday evening.

Ao Tanaka was a doubt for this evening’s contest having experienced MCL problems in Saturday’s defeat at Arsenal in which he played on until being brought off in the 66th minute.

The Japanese star was then facing assessment to see when he would be back fit and the midfielder is not part of the matchday squad.

Captain Ethan Ampadu remains out, also with an MCL injury.

Ampadu damaged his MCL in last Monday night’s first game of the new Premier League season at home to Everton and is set to be sidelined until after the international break.

Full-back James Justin was unveiled as United’s tenth signing of the summer on Monday evening but it is believed that the defender did not sign in time to feature tonight.

Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday: Darlow, Byram, Bornauw, Bijol, Harrison, Gruev, Longstaff, Aaronson, Okafor, Nmecha, Piroe. Subs: Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Stach, James, Gnonto, Gray, Calvert-Lewin.