The Whites XI for Saturday’s FA Cup defeat by Millwall contained just one player who started the midweek victory over Coventry City, in the shape of skipper Ethan Ampadu. The Welsh international partnered Pascal Struijk in defence, with Joe Rodon rested having reported some pain from a knock sustained at Coventry. Another Welsh national team star, Daniel James, also sat out entirely as he recovered from a knock of his own.
Speaking after Saturday’s Elland Road loss Farke all-but confirmed that he would return to something much more closely resembling his first-choice team when they visit Watford on Tuesday night. He denied there was a need for a response from the cup game however.
“It's not a response, not that we have to show a reaction,” he said. “It was not a normal game with so many changes. The next game the starting line-up will look in a much different way. The next game in the league after a pretty impressive Coventry game, this was a cup competition and has nothing to do with our performances in the league. In the cup we can show a reaction hopefully next season.
“There were a few individual players on a good level, it's important to have some minutes in the bodies of players who had to wait a lot. I have a few players rested and they can recharge to prepare for Tuesday. To have a little set-back out of the way can be positive, sometimes people are just waiting for one. I want to allow ourselves to be a bit disappointed. We wanted to win this game. We could speak that we can concentrate on the league but I would have preferred to go through. For me it's not a positive, on the bigger picture you could argue it's positive for our other targets.”
But the YEP predicted line-up is not quite the team that started at Coventry now that a key player has proven he has 90-minute fitness in his legs.
1. Illan Meslier
The Frenchman had arguably his best performance of the season at Coventry last week and was then rested for the FA Cup. Karl Darlow's display against Millwall was not enough to suggest there will be any changing of the guard in this position. | Getty Images
2. Jayden Bogle
The right-back is in a seriously good run of form and his relationship with Daniel James on the right flank is producing seriously good attacking menace for Leeds. | Getty Images
3. Junior Firpo
His hat-trick of assists against Cardiff and another solid display at Coventry suggest he's back to his pre-suspension form. It's a tight battle between him and Byram but what he offers offensively is vital for Leeds. | Getty Images
4. Joe Rodon
Arguably the player of the last few weeks. He has had some brilliant performances at the back and has contributed not just defensively but with an improved ability to find passes in the opponents' half. | Getty Images
5. Pascal Struijk
The one change to the Coventry line-up that you could just about see. Struijk coming back in to partner Rodon would aid the build-up on the left and allow Ampadu to return to central midfield, where Farke really wants him. | Getty Images
6. Ethan Ampadu
The skipper was not at his best, admittedly in a much-changed and disrupted team, against Millwall but a return to midfield would give Leeds serious control and a solid foundation from which to build attacks away from home especially. | Getty Images