Leeds United predicted line-up at QPR with late decisions, big change, Brenden Aaronson call

Boss Daniel Farke made one change to his side for Wednesday night’s 2-0 win at home to Millwall as Joe Rothwell replaced Ilia Gruev in centre-midfield. Rothwell immediately impressed, winning the ball in the middle of the park and surging ahead to start the move that led to Farke’s Whites taking a third-minute lead.

Rothwell’s centre midfield partner Ao Tanaka then later bagged the second goal of the game in the 85th minute, after which Rothwell was taken off upon suffering from a stiff knee. Brenden Aaronson, meanwhile, the subject of much debate in the no 10 role, came through another energetic full shift as United’s attacking midfielder but without being able to bag a goal or an assist.

The American has now gone seven games without getting one at a time when stars like Largie Ramazani, Willy Gnonto and Mateo Joseph are having to make do with outings from the bench as Joel Piroe, Manor Solomon and Dan James keep a firm grip of the other three attacking positions.

But Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at QPR presents the third of three games in seven days, increasing the chances of Farke rotating his pack. Speaking at Thursday’s pre-match press conference, Farke said: “In terms of the starting line-up and who has recovered, we'll make some late decisions. This turnaround is a bit more tricky. We had more or less 80 hours to recover for Millwall, this time around just over 60 hours. It will be a bit more tricky. Travelling is involved of course. We'll take some objective data, some recovery data and pick the starting line-up very late tomorrow evening or perhaps even on the morning of the game so some really late decisions."

A win at Loftus Road would send Leeds five points clear of second-placed Sheffield United and also create a new seven-point cushion in the division’s automatic promotion places back to third-placed Burnley. It’s another huge opportunity and this is how we think Farke will line Leeds up.