Leeds United have released their first XI for this afternoon’s clash at Elland Road.
The Whites are riding the crest of a wave following a brilliant 3-2 victory at West Ham United last weekend.
With that in mind, Leeds will be favourites to keep the good times going and beat Newcastle in West Yorkshire today.
Marcelo Bielsa has made two changes from the XI that beat the Hammers last time around.
Junior Firpo and Adam Forshaw both got injured within minutes of each other in East London last weekend.
And Bielsa has included Diego Llorente and Rodrigo as his replacements for the pair.
Llorente will slot into central defence, shifting Stuart Dallas into a familiar left-back role, while Rodrigo will start in attacking midfield.
Meanwhile, Jack Harrison, who scored an unexpected hat-trick away to the Irons, will continue in attack and hope to maintain his goalscoring form.
Leeds XI: Meslier; Dallas, Struijk, Llorente, Ayling; Koch, Klich; Harrison, Rodrigo, Raphinha, James
Heartbreaking
There’s an element of sadness around Rodrigo’s inclusion.
Not that the Spaniard is a bad player because he is anything but.
But Leeds fans have grown used to seeing Forshaw in midfield again following an injury hell that cost him over two years of his career.
The former Middlesbrough player admitted in midweek that there were times when he thought he’d never kick a football ever again, such was the severity of his physical issues.
And it’s genuinely a little heartbreaking to discover that he’s injured again, paving the way for Rodrigo – a £30 million signing in 2020 – to start.
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