Leeds United face Fulham with Calvert-Lewin leading the line
Leeds United move into their next Premier League game with the kind of confidence you’d expect from a team that’s finally found its feet back in the top flight. While Burnley and Wolves have already slipped toward relegation, Leeds have shown a lot more grit, pulling away from the drop zone by putting together some really solid, organised performances under Daniel Farke.
Elland Road has become a bit of a fortress lately; Leeds haven’t lost at home in several matches and, remarkably, haven’t gone into the break trailing in a single home league game all season. The atmosphere at Elland Road is always intense, and Fulham, regardless of their quality, are going to feel that pressure the second they walk out. Leeds are coming into this one with a real point to prove.
How Leeds United might line up against Fulham?
Karl Darlow gets the nod in goal. He’s a dependable shot-stopper, even if he isn’t the flashiest, but his distribution when he’s pressed is still a bit of a worry that Fulham might try to exploit. Ahead of him, the back three of Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, and Pascal Struijk should offer a good mix of strength and composure.
Rodon is great at reading the play and dominant in the air, though he can occasionally get caught out for pace against quicker strikers. Bijol adds some real aerial presence and isn’t afraid to step up and press from the left, but he does sometimes leave gaps behind him during transitions. Struijk will likely anchor the trio; he’s calm on the ball and great at playing out from the back, though he can sometimes dwell on it a little too long and slow down the attack.
The wing-backs are going to be massive for the attack here. Jayden Bogle is expected to start on the right with James Justin pushing up on the left. Bogle brings a ton of energy and loves to make those late runs into the box, but he still needs to work on getting back into position when he’s caught too far forward. Justin is the more technical of the two, showing a really high football IQ, whether Leeds have the ball or not.
In the middle, the duo of Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka should provide a solid screen for the defence. Ampadu moves the ball quickly and never shies away from a tackle, though his long-range passing can be a bit hit-or-miss when he’s under pressure.
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Tanaka is an absolute workhorse who presses non-stop; he’s the type of player who does a lot of the dirty work that you only really notice when he’s not on the pitch. Brenden Aaronson and Noah Okafor look set to play just behind the striker. Aaronson’s work rate is always high, and Okafor’s movement between the lines should give the Fulham defenders a headache in those tight central areas.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the line. His recent form has been one of the biggest talking points of Leeds’ season, having bagged eight goals in his last nine games after a bit of a dry spell early on. He’s a constant handful in the air, and his hold-up play is vital, though he can go quiet if the service isn’t there.
With Ilia Gruev out injured, Farke doesn’t have many midfield options on the bench, which might force him to be a bit more cautious with his changes late in the game. Leeds go into this one with a very clear plan and a striker who can’t stop scoring; Farke has plenty of reasons to feel good about this one.
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Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Karl Darlow – Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk – Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka, James Justin – Brenden Aaronson, Noah Okafor – Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
