Why Leeds United are able to play it safe with Lucas Perri's return from injury

The Brazilian has been training for a fortnight, but the quality of Darlow's performances in the four games he missed with a quad injury will allow Farke to ease him back.

Daniel James could also be on the bench at Turf Moor after a quicker-than-expected recovery from an ankle injury, but there was more bad news than good when it came to Leeds' wingers.

On Perri, Farke said: "He's definitely not a topic (option) for the starting line-up because the last time he played was in August.

"It's also not that he has already played 100 games on Premier League level, he's new in this country. He came with an injury in pre-season, then played three games before he was out for more or less a couple of months without a game.

"It's been good to have him back in training for the last two weeks but many players who are also important for him were not with us and he didn't have any training sessions with them – Joe Rodon, Jakob Bjol, Gabi Gudmundsson, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, Ao Tanaka."

It might have been different were Darlow’s club form not so good.

"Karl has done so well – at the end of last season, during pre-season, and also in the last four games. He was away also with many of my (Welsh) defensive players, he's in a good rhythm, has played many games for us – really solid, reliable performances.

"It takes a bit the pressure away from Lucas, that he does not have to come in without being fully prepared for such a situation.

"You can see, fitness-wise, he is building from week to week. We definitely need one to two weeks, with the team – the whole team."

The good news about James is partly offset by issues for fellow wingers Noah Okafor and Willy Gnonto, who was expected to be fit again after the international break.

"Willy Gnonto’s calf problems are sorted but sadly he had to use the international break for a little minor hernia surgery," explained Farke.

"He'll be back in team training next week, so I expect him then to have him available, perhaps for the next home game (West Ham United a week on Friday).

"Daniel James is a bit ahead of schedule in his rehab, so a compliment also to our medical department and our rehab coaches.

"He's definitely not in contention for the starting line-up, but due to the fact that we have lots of load and also a few problems in training, and Noah Okafor is also struggling a little bit with some adductor problems, he could be perhaps even in contention to be picked for the squad."

Saturday's game is the first of five for Leeds against opponents currently in the bottom half of the Premier League, not that Farke is reading anything into that.

"It doesn't matter where you win the points," he said.

”Out of these four games until the next international break, we want to win as many points as possible again. I would judge it as a difficult period because we have three away games.”