Gnonto and Rutter out, 4-2-3-1: The predicted Leeds United XI to face Watford | OneFootball

Leeds United travel to Watford on Good Friday and will be hoping to maintain their place at the top of the table with a win over Tom Cleverley's side.

Daniel Farke's side entered this season among the favourites for promotion and are in the mix again, but the run-in from Easter onwards is always the most critical period of the campaign, when it comes down to the crunch and fixtures come at you thick and fast.

The recent international break may have come at a bad time, with Leeds picking up 37 points from a possible 39 available since the turn of the year and Farke may, perhaps, have been keen to keep the good form and momentum going.

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With two games in three days, Leeds may well be stretched thin, and Farke has confirmed a whole host of issues are currently hampering his squad ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road. Also, plenty of his players played games on Tuesday night, thus freshness has to be a concern as well.

However, the clash against Watford provides them with an opportunity to maintain their place above Ipswich Town and Leicester City, with any dropped points crucial at this stage of the season. Leeds also have the chance to do the double over their hosts, having defeated them in the reverse fixture 3-0 earlier in the season, albeit with the Hornets then managed by Valerien Ismael.

Leeds United predicted XI v Watford

Here, we take a look at the starting lineup Farke could put out in search of another vital win. What changes will he make from the win over Millwall before the international break last time out?

GK: Illan Meslier

Meslier has been Farke's go-to goalkeeper this season, featuring in almost every Championship fixture so far, and should continue to do so for the remainder of the campaign, should he remain fit.

He picked up a suspension over the festive period but has been back between the sticks ever since and his clean sheets have racked up in 2024, with the Frenchman conceding just three league goals so far this year; all of which have come from set-pieces, too.

Djed Spence's return to Spurs and Luke Ayling's departure to Middlesbrough left Farke short of options at right-back before Connor Roberts sealed a deadline day switch.

However, Roberts and Ilia Gruev's injuries have given Farke little option but to stick with Gray. Farke is not likely to move Gray out of his right-back berth in the league just yet despite impressing in midfield against Chelsea and for England's U-21 side, scoring and assisting in his first two appearances at that level.

CB: Joe Rodon

Rodon has been imperious for Leeds since signing on loan from Tottenham and will always start on the right-side at the heart of Leeds' defence when fit. His partner is likely to change in light of recent injury developments, though.

Rodon has seen the player by his side chop and change a fair amount lately, but Struijk has been the best pairing alongside the Welshman, despite recent clean sheets and a long unbeaten streak with Ethan Ampadu alongside him. His 120 minutes on Tuesday night are less than ideal, but Farke has little choice but to persist with the 26-year-old.

CB: Liam Cooper

Cooper has not been a frequent fixture in Leeds' lineup, despite being captain of the club, but should be given a game in the heart of Leeds' defence here, with the experienced defender required in the absence of both Struijk in defence and Gruev in midfield.

Rodon will be his partner, allowing for Ampadu to move further forward, whilst also providing some balance with a right and left-footer at centre-back. Cooper's leadership will be key in the dressing room and on the field for the remainder of the season, though.

Farke's hands are somewhat tied in the full-back positions, with Firpo playing 87 minutes on Wednesday for the Dominican Republic against Peru in South America and travelling back to West Yorkshire to return on Thursday morning.

The left-back position has seen both Firpo and Byram feature there heavily, and with Hull just around the corner, the German may be minded to rest one and play one, with Byram the obvious option against Watford given the quick turnaround.

Kamara is a player who has come into his own of late for the Whites. With Gray filling in at right-back, and Ampadu also in the defence, he's been an automatic pick in the double-pivot. He featured heavily for Finland over the break, but Leeds will need him on Friday.

He is a player who has grown into his role and is one of the most senior figures in the starting line-up week-to-week, with experience likely to be crucial during the run-in through the second half of the campaign as well - it highlights his importance. Kamara has more minutes in midfield than any other member of the squad, too.

With Struijk out for the season with surgery needed on his adductor issue, Farke has been reluctant to select either Cooper or Charlie Cresswell and has instead opted for Ethan Ampadu to be deployed alongside Rodon at the heart of his defence, but he may be kept in a more familiar midfield role.

Ampadu has featured impressively this season and has been one of the club's most consistent and reliable performers, irrespective of where he is asked to start. The 23-year-old is the most natural alternative in Gruev's potential absence despite playing 210 minutes for Wales across their two games during the break.

RW: Dan James

That midweek missed penalty will no doubt have impacted James, but Farke is confident that he and the other Welsh contingent at the club will be able to draw a line under it ahead of Friday, which provides him with a chance to start, having been more of a substitute recently.

His record has been excellent for Leeds this season, scoring or assisting 19 goals and becoming a key player for Farke. However, with Willy Gnonto a doubt, James should return to action, and didn't start either of Wales' games, so comes back fresher than the likes of Ampadu and Rodon.

Georginio Rutter may have a part to play, but after his hernia surgery, there is a good chance that isn't necessarily from the start. Farke may have turned to Gnonto in the creative berth behind the striker, especially having featured there for the Italy U-21 team.

However, Piroe is the most likely to at least start against Watford. He scored in the reverse fixture from that role in the side, and will have a point to prove to Farke to get back into the side far more regularly between now and the end of the season.

LW: Crysencio Summerville

Summerville is arguably Leeds' best player and key attacker. He's scored 16 goals and created a further nine assists this season from the left-wing, cementing him as Farke's go-to winger out of the four options available.

Summerville can do little wrong at the moment. He is one of the most feared wingers in the league currently. If the Whites are to claim victory, it will likely come from a moment of magic from the Dutchman, who may well be the biggest beneficiary of the extended period of rest over the break.

In his last 14 appearances, Bamford has contributed to 10 goals. All of those have come in 2024 and highlight the need for him to maintain his place when hot in front of goal. He is perhaps the other to have benefitted most from a spell of rest and recuperation.

His confidence is up in the middle of a current purple patch, so he is likely to continue as Farke’s focal point up front now that he is back fit again. His line-leading qualities offer a platform for the Whites to build from and help to get them up the pitch by making the ball stick in attack.