Leeds United will look to move on from their heartbreaking defeat to Liverpool when they host Hull City in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. The Whites endured a late 4-3 loss at the hands of Premier League champions in their opening fixture. Still, coach Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping for a turnaround, ahead of a crucial game against Fulham on the weekend.
Predicted Leeds United Lineup Vs Hull City
Defence
Speaking to Leeds Live, Bielsa said he is hopeful of the return of captain Liam Cooper, after missing the Liverpool game due to a muscular injury. He should replace the young Pascal Struijk at the heart of the Leeds United defence.
Robin Koch, following an unfortunate debut performance against Liverpool, needs more game-time and so we can expect him to get the nod ahead of Struijk in central defence. A strong performance against Hull City should go a long way in helping the German international gain some confidence.
Bielsa is not someone who likes to make too many changes in his starting lineup, so the likes of Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas are expected to occupy the fullback roles once again.
Illan Meslier is another player set to retain his place in the starting lineup. He is likely to start in between the sticks, ahead of Kiko Casilla.
Midfield
Kalvin Phillips was one of the star performers in Leeds United’s defeat to Liverpool on Saturday. The midfielder should face no problems starting again despite the strenuous schedule.
Mateusz Klich, meanwhile, picked up a late knock on the weekend, but Bielsa did confirm that he is fine. It means the Pole should occupy the attacking midfield role, though only this time he could be partnered by Tyler Roberts.
The Welshman is expected to replace Pablo Hernandez, who is likely to be rested for the Fulham clash on the weekend. However, it won’t be surprising to see the Spaniard featuring as a substitute against Hull City this midweek.
Attack
Rodrigo is in line to make his starting debut for Leeds United despite conceding a decisive penalty in the defeat to Liverpool. The Spaniard is desperately in need of a solid performance as he looks to kickstart his career at Elland Road.
We are unlikely to witness any changes elsewhere, with Jack Harrison and Helder Costa likely to feature as the wider attacking players ahead of Ian Poveda and Ezgjan Alioski.
