Leeds Predicted Lineup vs Liverpool for December 6

After stunning Chelsea with a 3-1 victory in midweek, the next target in Leeds United’s sights is reigning champions Liverpool, who have only won one of their last four league games. The Whites now find themselves outside the relegation zone with renewed hope, and a home victory over Arne Slot’s side could propel them up to 16th place and five points above the bottom three.

Leeds Predicted Lineup For Home Clash vs Reigning Champions Liverpool

How Leeds Have Lined Up Recently

Brazilian stopper Lucas Perri remains Daniel Farke’s first choice between the sticks, despite some difficult moments this season, and the 27-year-old did start to look more comfortable against Chelsea. 

In front of him, a tactical switch saw United line up with a back three of Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon and Jaka Bijol, who were outstanding against the Blues. With all three defenders standing over 6’3” tall, the Whites were a constant threat from dead-ball scenarios and offered little to no opportunities for opposing forwards Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. 

Farke has used the tried-and-tested combination of Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson at full-back in every game this season, and the two were excellent when used as wing-backs in midweek. Both defenders possess incredible stamina, defensive awareness and attacking ability, and are arguably the team’s two most important players.

In midfield, captain Ethan Ampadu sat deep with Anton Stach and Ao Tanaka playing slightly ahead of him. Ampadu’s ability to nullify opposition attackers allowed his two midfield partners to push forward and press high, with this freedom allowing Tanaka to score Leeds’ second goal with a laced finish from outside the box.

Up top, the manager opted for two out-and-out centre-forwards in the shape of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, and the pair’s hold-up play and aerial dominance caused havoc for the opposing defence. Despite only starting together for the first time, the strikers linked up brilliantly, and have now scored seven goals between them in the Premier League.

Leeds Recent Form and Tactics

With Leeds 2-0 down against Manchester City on November 30, Farke decided to switch things up in the second half and ditch his usual 4-3-3 system in favour of a more direct 3-5-2. The results were instant, with Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin both quickly getting on the scoresheet, and Pep Guardiola’s previously dominant City suddenly looked under enormous pressure. 

Although they weren’t able to get anything from that game, their outstanding second-half performance made it clear that the route-one, physically imposing style of the 3-5-2 was the way forward, and this was how they lined up against Enzo Maresca’s unit. This tactical change led to Leeds having the lowest possession of Farke’s Leeds tenure, just 29%, but his side were dominant. 

They had 16 shots to their opponent’s 11, created an XG tally of 2.82, and put constant pressure on the Blues’ backline, epitomised by substitute Noah Okafor stealing the ball off Tosin’s toe before his shot ricocheted to Calvert-Lewin for a tap-in.

Leeds Absences to Consider

Farke said there were no “fresh injury concerns” before the Liverpool game, with Sean Longstaff and Daniel James both still out with long-term issues.

There is, however, some doubt around forwards Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin, who both sustained knocks against Chelsea. The two are vital to Leeds’ 3-5-2 setup, so if either isn’t fit to start, it would be a huge blow.

Leeds United Predicted Lineup

GK: Lucas Perri

CB: Jaka Bijol

CB: Joe Rodon

CB: Pascal Struijk

RWB: Jayden Bogle

LWB: Gabriel Gudmundsson

CM: Ethan Ampadu

CM: Ao Tanaka

CM: Anton Stach

ST: Dominic Calvert-Lewin

ST: Lukas Nmecha