, Leeds United: Whites travel to Rotherham – likely line-up

Leeds United: Whites travel to Rotherham – likely line-up

After a disappointing, yet spirited, display against runaway leaders Newcastle United, Leeds United are again facing the glare of the Sky Sports cameras, but thankfully a different scenario.

Seventh-placed Leeds travel to South Yorkshire and the New York Stadium to face rock-bottom side Rotherham United in a game many Leeds fans are hoping will be the perfect springboard back to winning form. Rotherham’s current form is defintely more windy than the Millers would like and they have returned a meagre seven points. The South Yorkshire side have just the one win all season up to press and many are seeing them as a nailed-on relegation certainty.

Over their last six games, Leeds’ ‘short form’ has been quite impressive with three wins and a draw giving the Whites 10 points from a possible 18 0n offer. Meanwhile, today’s opponents Rotherham have a single point, a 2-2 draw away at Ipswich, in a run of six games that has seen five losses. The last two games seeing the Millers concede six times, 3-0 against Derby last time out and 3-1 the match prior to this against Preston. In their last 6 games, Rotherham have conceded 16 times.

Leeds United vs Rotherham: romp or rearguard – a likely line-up

Leeds fans will no doubt be looking  for a reaction from the side after their gallant, but essentially fruitless display against Newcastle. This reaction is, of course, compunded by the Millers’ lowly position in the league table and their current terrible run of form. Two questions remain. One is will it be a Leeds United romp against hapless opponents? The other is will Rotherham put up a stoic rearguard against their neighbours and become a side emboldened by the power of a relatively local Derby?

Leeds fans know that three players won’t feature against Rotherham with Pontus Jansson suspended for one game afte picking up five yellow cards and club captain Liam Bridcutt and Spaniard Pablo Hernandez out through injury. Some fans are talking of a return to 4-4-2 after Marcus Antonsson’s three-goal show in midweek for the Under-23s, whilst others remind them of Garry Monk’s warnings about tinkering with formations for the sake of results.

The back five pretty much picks itself, with Liam Cooper slotting in for the suspended Pontus Jansson as the left-sided centre-back and with Garry Monk likely keeping faith with #1 Rob Green. In the defensive midfield positions, I can see the quietly impressive Eunan O’Kane continuing with Kalvin Phillips slotting back into a more central role rather than the #10 role he played against Newcastle United.

Further up the pitch, I can see the fit again Stuart Dallas getting a start on the left side of midfield and the rapid Hadi Sacko coming in and replacing fellow Frenchman Souleymane Doukara down the right. With Phillips dropping back from the #10 position, and Stuart Dallas potentially coming in on the left, I can see Monk opting to play the pacy Kemar Roofe in the hole just behind Kiwi international captain Chris Wood. Saying that, Monk may choose to swap over Doukara and bring him in behind Wood if he chooses to bring Sacko in on the right, or even put in Marcus Antonsson as the attacking link behind his top-scorer.

It’s refreshing that Leeds United have options, only time will tell what these are to be wit hregard to the starting line-up against Rotherham in today’s televised Sky Sports early evening game.

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