Patrick Bamford starts, 4-2-3-1: The predicted Leeds United XI to face Coventry City | OneFootball

Leeds United travel to Coventry City on Saturday and will be hoping to maintain their place inside the top two with a win over Mark Robins' 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.

They collected four points over Easter weekend, with a late Mateo Joseph goal rescuing a point against Watford, and Crysencio Summerville and Dan James scoring late on against Hull City to win the game on Monday at Elland Road.

However, they will remain confident, with Leeds picking up 41 points from a possible 45 available since the turn of the year. Despite not beating their hosts in the reverse fixture during the 1-1 draw at Elland Road, which is the last time Leeds dropped any home points this season back on December 16th.

With two games in three days, Leeds were stretched thin during Easter, and Farke confirmed recently a whole host of issues were currently hampering his squad ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road. Jamie Shackleton has joined others on the treatment table.

The clash against Coventry provides them with an opportunity to maintain their place above Leicester City and to put pressure on Ipswich Town, with any dropped points crucial at this stage of the season.

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 Hull 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 six league goals so far this year, albeit three of those came during the Easter break.

RB: Sam Byram

Farke's hands have been somewhat tied in the full-back positions, with Junior Firpo coming back late from the Dominican Republic over the international break, Connor Roberts still injured, and Shackleton also out.

The left-back position has seen both Firpo and Byram feature there heavily, and Farke was forced into playing both on Monday, which may well stay the same, with Byram the obvious option after scoring the opener in that game as well.

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. He has had back spasms recently but Farke has little choice but to persist with the 26-year-old.

CB: Ethan Ampadu

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 at centre-back after Cooper's recent struggles.

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 Struijk or Gruev's potential absence despite playing an incredible number of minutes for both club and country this season.

The shortage of options on the left-hand side for Leeds will likely see Firpo maintain his place in the starting lineup, having impressed from the bench against Watford and from the start against Hull, which is where he will be needed against Cov.

Firpo's 2024 form makes him a crucial player for the run-in, especially as a natural left-footer down Leeds' left-hand side. He is essential for build up and interplay down the left as a width holding full-back.

CM: Glen Kamara

Kamara is a player who has come into his own of late for the Whites. With Archie 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 and had an illness during Easter, but Leeds will need him on Saturday.

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.

CM: Archie Gray

Gray's performance against Chelsea back in a midfield role will have given Farke food for thought earlier in the season, and whilst he and Kamara profile more closely, Farke has very little choice but to play them together again, unless Gruev comes through a late fitness test.

Neither Gray nor Kamara are ideal in anchoring the midfield and playing as the tempo player, as both prefer the box-to-box role, highlighting Ampadu and Gruev's importance, but the Bulgarian's injury is a concern again for the trip to the Midlands.

RW: Dan James

A midweek missed penalty for Wales will no doubt have impacted James, but he was able to draw a line under it thanks to a stunning goal from near the halfway line against Hull. He will start again due to Gnonto's injury, having been more of a substitute recently.

His record has been excellent for Leeds this season, scoring or assisting 20 goals and becoming a key player for Farke. He will face a Coventry side who lack pace in defensive areas, and will be hoping he can stretch them in behind.

CAM: Georginio Rutter

Rutter has been superb in attack for Farke, linking with James, Joel Piroe, and Crysencio Summerville expertly with his range of passing, immense vision, and wonderful tight control. He is another key player and has contributed regularly, particularly in terms of chances created and assists.

Roles are more important than positions, but his best performances this season have come in the line of three behind the striker, and not as the primary centre-forward, with his interplay with Crysencio Summerville particularly crucial, whilst also having more freedom to pull defenders around wherever he pleases.

LW: Crysencio Summerville

Summerville is arguably Leeds' best player and key attacker. He's scored 18 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 and his nomination for Championship Player of the Year award cements that. Few players in the squad look like they have benefitted from the international break more than Summerville, with the Dutchman electric over Easter Weekend, as the key contributor in four potentially pivotal points.

CF: Patrick Bamford

Bamford missed a huge opportunity against Hull, but has enormous credit in the bank for both his goals and general contribution to the team in attack. His pressing, intensity, and hold up play has given Leeds the platform the side needs to build from.

His confidence was up in the middle of a recent purple patch, but he is likely to continue as Farke’s focal point up front despite quality substitute appearances from Joseph. His line-leading qualities make the ball stick in attack, but Joseph will be breathing down his neck for the final six games of the campaign.