Twelve missing and small bench with full Leeds United debut and injury returns v West Brom

Joe Rodon makes his full Whites debut as Georginio Rutter returns from injury to start but Ian Poveda is now missing as Whites boss Daniel Farke names just a seven man bench that features two keepers.

Wales international defender Rodon has joined the Whites on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur but started last weekend’s clash at Birmingham City from the bench having only completed his move two days earlier.

Rodon was finally brought on in stoppage time at St Andrew’s and sent upfront as Leeds desperately looked for an equaliser in the 1-0 defeat. Record signing Georginio Rutter also returned from a core muscle injury as a second half substitute at Birmingham and both Rodon and Rutter now start in tonight’s 8pm kick-off as Charlie Cresswell drops to the bench and Poveda misses out altogether.

Whites boss Daniel Farke revealed at Thursday’s pre-match press conference that both Sam Greenwood and Sonny Perkins were back in training after recovering from injury and illness respectively. Greenwood returns to the Whites bench but Perkins is not involved and instead starts for the under-21s tonight against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Liam Cooper, Crysencio Summerville, Patrick Bamford, Mateo Joseph, Junior Firpo, Leo Hjelde, longer-term absentee Stuart Dallas and Tyler Adams remain out injured for Leeds although Adams is closing in on a switch to Bournemouth.

Farke also revealed at his pre-match press conference that Willy Gnonto, Luis Sinisterra and also Helder Costa had been “removed from the dressing room” and were training alone.

Baggies boss Carlos Corberan has made one change to his side who have received a huge late fitness boost. Last season’s joint top scorer Brandon Thomas-Asante missed last weekend’s 3-2 win at home to Swansea City with injury and tonight’s clash was expected to come too soon but the striker starts and replaces Conor Townsend for the only change.

Leeds United: Meslier; Ayling, Rodon, Struijk, Byram; Ampadu, Gray, Shackleton, James, Gelhardt, Rutter. Subs: Klaesson, Darlow, Cresswell, Drameh, Gyabi, Bate, Greenwood.

West Brom: Griffiths, Bartley, Fellows, Chalobah, Townsend, Sarmiento, Mowatt, Gardner-Hickman, Maja. Subs: Palmer; Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters; Furlong, Molumby, Yokuslu, Phillips; Wallace, Thomas-Asante, Swift.

Referee: Matthew Donohue.