Leeds United host Brentford at Elland Road in a Premier League match this afternoon, with both sides naming their starting lineups. The 2pm BST kick-off, broadcast live on Sky Sports, sees Leeds aiming to build on their opening day win and maintain a perfect start to the season.
Manager Daniel Farke has selected a 3-4-3 formation for the home fixture. James Trafford starts in goal behind a back three of Amar Muharemović, Jaka Bijol and Joe Rodon. The midfield quartet consists of Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Antonín Stach and James Justin. The attacking trio tasked with breaking down the Brentford defence is Brenden Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor.
Leeds have several attacking options among their substitutes, including Harry Wilson, Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto and Lukas Nmecha. The club's current injury situation, sees Ilia Gruev, Mateo Joseph, Wilfried Gnonto and Gylfi Sigurðsson all sidelined for this contest.
Brentford boss Keith Andrews has made two alterations from the side that beat Tottenham last time out. He switches to a 4 - 3 - 3 setup. The most notable change sees winger Jaidon Anthony handed his first Premier League start for the Bees. Anthony, of course, spent last season on loan at Leeds United. He is joined in the attack by Thiago Schade.
Mikkel Damsgaard also comes into the starting eleven. The Danish midfielder is in fine form, having scored and provided three assists in the Carabao Cup win over Birmingham City. He replaces the injured Mathias Jensen in the engine room alongside Ibrahim Sangaré and Vitaly Janelt.
Two recent arrivals are included on the Brentford bench. The most recent is striker El Hadji Malick Diouf, who signed a permanent deal from West Ham United earlier this week. He could make his debut today.
Also among the substitutes is Fábio Carvalho. His potential involvement is significant as he sustained an ACL injury last November. This match could mark his first appearance since that serious setback. Other options for Andrews include Dango Ouattara and the returning Aaron Hickey.
Leeds United enter this match sitting 10th in the Premier League table with three points from one game, their recent form a single win. They have scored one goal and conceded none so far, giving them a +1 goal difference. They currently trail early leaders Manchester City by three points.
A positive result at Elland Road would provide momentum ahead of a challenging away trip to face Brighton, who are fifth, next weekend. Fans can track the evolving league picture on our standings page. Securing home wins against mid-table rivals like Brentford is essential for any team with European ambitions this season.
The focus will quickly shift to preparation for the trip to the Amex Stadium on September 5th. Managing the squad through these early season fixtures is key, especially with the current absentees. The performance of the new defensive unit and the efficiency of the forward line will be closely watched today as indicators for the campaign ahead. Supporters can view the full schedule on our club fixtures page.
