Piroe dropped, 4-2-3-1: The predicted Leeds United XI to face Middlesbrough on Monday | OneFootball

Leeds United travel to Middlesbrough on Monday evening, with Daniel Farke's side having lost their first home league game of the season to Blackburn Rovers last time out.

The Whites entered this season among the favourites for promotion and are certainly in the race, but the defeat could potentially be damaging, and they will want to get back to winning ways swiftly to apply further pressure on Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

The final three games will determine whether they finish inside the top two or are consigned to the play-offs, with Leeds having collected just five points during the last five games since the international break, which will have some fans' nerves increasing.

Pascal Struijk, Jamie Shackleton, and Connor Roberts are all absent from the clash with Boro, which represents a difficult test against Michael Carrick's side. They are unbeaten in nine league games, albeit the play-offs looks to be just beyond them now.

Changes may be in the offing to get back to winning ways, but there has been a nine-day break between fixtures for the whites, which will have been welcome at the right time for many of their players.

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 defeat 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.

His clean sheets have racked up in 2024, with the Frenchman top of the pile in that particular metric, albeit only one has come since the international break, which may be of concern to Farke and his team.

RB: Archie Gray

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 in January.

However, Roberts' injury issues have given Farke little option but to stick with Gray. Farke moved Gray out of his right-back berth in the Blackburn defeat but there is a good chance he will be back in his right-back role, with Roberts unable to play again.

CB: Joe Rodon

Rodon has been outstanding 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 has chopped and changed, but he remains as consistent as ever, in spite of recent dropped points.

Struijk was initially the best pairing alongside the Welshman, but recent clean sheets and a long unbeaten streak with Ethan Ampadu alongside him around the turn of the year, he will be confident against a strong Boro side.

With Struijk out for the season with surgery needed on his adductor issue, Farke has been reluctant to select either Liam Cooper or Charlie Cresswell and has instead opted for Ampadu to be deployed alongside Rodon at the heart of his defence.

Ampadu has featured impressively this season, and was rewarded with the club's Player of the Year award this week, for sheer consistency and reliability, irrespective of where he is asked to start. The 23-year-old is the most natural alternative in Struijk's absence despite playing the majority of his minutes in midfield, and an incredible number of minutes for both club and country this season, where he has been virtually ever-present.

The shortage of options on the left-hand side for Leeds will likely see Firpo maintain his place in the starting lineup, having been one of few who continually impressed over the last two games, where he was among Leeds' best players on both occasions in possession.

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, providing Farke's side with a better dynamic and combining well with the left-sided midfielder and left-winger.

Kamara is a player who has been utilised plenty this season, with Gray filling in at right-back, and Ampadu also in the defence, making him an automatic pick in the double-pivot. However, he was dropped in the previous fixture, and will be hoping for a recall with Roberts ruled out.

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 during the final three games as well - it highlights his importance. Kamara has more minutes in midfield than any other member of the squad, too.

Ampadu’s minutes have not been managed particularly well, but Leeds sorely missed a player of his profile in midfield recently, but Gruev should continue now he is back to full fitness alongside Kamara. He has been carrying a knock with swelling around his foot, but come through well in the last few games.

Gruev's retention as the anchoring midfielder is also crucial, with his metronomic passing keeping Leeds ticking over, and he has been one of Leeds' best performers since coming into the side. the Whites rely on a player of his type to keep the ball in the opposition half as often as possible.

Outside of Firpo, it's hard to look further than Gnonto as the most impressive player against Blackburn, and the Italian was particularly bright. Leeds looked ponderous around the opposition box, but Gnonto is a player who can come up with the answer in any moment, and deserves to maintain his place at Boro.

Dan James has contributed well this season, particularly when Leeds have chances to counter, but the 20-year-old's ability one-vs-one, flair, and dynamic with other forwards could be crucial across the final three league fixtures.

Rutter has been superb in attack for Farke, linking with James, Gnonto, 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 Summerville particularly vital, whilst also having more freedom to pull defenders around wherever he pleases. The Frenchman carries so much threat for Leeds and is likely to be decisive between now and Southampton on final day.

LW: Crysencio Summerville

Another decisive player who has performed superbly in the games since the international break, 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 recently won Championship Player of the Year award, which 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, and despite not contributing to anything in recent games, he has a huge part to play in the final games.

Despite blanking in his last six games, Bamford has enormous credit in the bank for both his goals and general contribution to the team in attack in 2024. His pressing, intensity, and hold up play has given Leeds the platform the side needs to build from, which was made more apparent after Piroe's struggles against Blackburn.

His confidence was up in the middle of a recent purple patch, but he is likely to return as Farke’s focal point up front despite quality substitute appearances from Mateo Joseph. His line-leading qualities make the ball stick in attack, but Joseph and Piroe will certainly be breathing down his neck for the final three games of the campaign, though, that competition may be a healthy thing for the squad.