Leeds United v Southampton team news: Daniel Farke makes big decisions as starting XI for play-off final named

The Whites and the Saints are set to battle it out at Wembley in front of a sell-out crowd, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs. Both sides are looking to seal an immediate return to the top flight, having suffered relegation last season.

Farke has retained faith in the players that sent Leeds to the capital by blowing Norwich City away at Elland Road. He has named an unchanged starting XI, while the bench is nearly identical to the one named for the clash with the Canaries.

Illan Meslier starts between the sticks, protected by a back four of Archie Gray, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Junior Firpo. Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara will line up alongside each other in the heart of midfield, with Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto out wide.

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Georginio Rutter looked like his old self as Leeds dispatched of Norwich and has been given the nod to play in behind Joel Piroe. Patrick Bamford once again misses out entirely through injury.

Karl Darlow will be Leeds’ back-up option if Meslier takes a knock, while Connor Roberts, Liam Cooper and Sam Byram will provide defensive cover. Jamie Shackleton is a midfield alternative and Farke can call upon Jaidon Anthony, Daniel James, Joe Gelhardt and Mateo Joseph to freshen up the Leeds attack. Charlie Cresswell has not made the bench, with Byram taking his place.

Below is the Leeds team in full.

Starting XI: Meslier, Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Summerville, Rutter, Gnonto; Piroe.

Substitutes: Darlow, Roberts, Byram, Cooper, Shackleton, Anthony, James, Gelhardt, Joseph.