Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has officially announced his starting lineup for the highly anticipated FA Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. The key change sees goalkeeper Lucas Perri stepping into the starting XI, marking the only alteration from recent fixtures, while Anton Stach makes a significant return to the squad among the substitutes. This crucial fixture sets the stage for the Whites' pursuit of FA Cup glory.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to make his first FA Cup start for Leeds United, a move that sees Lukas Nmecha shift to the bench. The return of Anton Stach is particularly noteworthy, as he was previously expected to be sidelined until May due to ankle ligament damage sustained in the quarter-final against West Ham. His unexpected recovery and inclusion provide a boost to Farke's options.

The decision to start Lucas Perri in goal follows manager Farke's pre-match hints, with Perri having consistently featured in every FA Cup tie this season. This comes despite Karl Darlow recently holding the first-choice spot in other competitions. Further injury assessments saw Jayden Bogle and Sebastiaan Bornauw as doubts after the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth; Bogle starts, while Bornauw, along with Joe Rodon and Dan James, are named on the bench.

Unfortunately, Ilia Gruev is the sole absentee for Leeds United, sidelined by a meniscus injury sustained in training earlier this week. Meanwhile, Chelsea also faced their own fitness concerns ahead of the semi-final. Joao Pedro, who underwent a late fitness check, has been confirmed to start for the Blues, while Cole Palmer, another player facing recent injury issues, will begin the match among their substitutes.

The confirmed Leeds United starting XI features: Perri, Bogle, Justin, Bijol, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Tanaka, Okafor, Aaronson, and Calvert-Lewin. On the opposing side, Chelsea's lineup includes: Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella, Caicedo, Lavia, Neto, Fernandez (c), Garnacho, and Joao Pedro. These selections highlight the tactical approaches of both managers for this pivotal Wembley encounter.