Leeds United line-up vs Norwich City as Rutter is dropped and youth is trusted in Wembley decider

A lot of Sunday’s performance against Norwich City really worked in restoring some confidence to Leeds United minds after a rotten end to the season. There is an element of stick or twist to the second leg, having been so solid and full of promise at Carrow Road.

Going with the same set-up risks being too passive, defensive and allowing Norwich too much respect away from home, while twisting risks losing Sunday’s security and creating gaps for the visitors to exploit. Further to this, recent injuries have really damaged the match sharpness of United’s best alternatives.

The biggest problem in the first leg, with ready-to-go solutions, was undoubtedly at the tip of the attack. Georginio Rutter extended his barren spell post-surgery to nine matches without a goal involvement and seems to be on the chopping block for the first time this season.

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The Frenchman has been a talisman at times and created more Championship goals than everyone this season, apart from Leif Davis. Moving him into the striker role on Sunday was a fair attempt by Farke to snap him out of his poor run of form.

It didn’t work and on a night when United need goal scorers in the box, he cannot start as the team’s chief central threat. There is a debate about whether he slips back into his usual role, but I liked Archie Gray’s display in Norfolk and would keep him there.

The teenager can retain some of that weekend safety and of course be replaced if Leeds are throwing caution to the wind later in the night. As a starting point, though, Gray in that central slot would be my choice.

Would Mateo Joseph then leave Leeds with too much naivety and inexperience across that key attacking partnership? The Spaniard, in isolation, is absolutely the striker I would pick for this team in Patrick Bamford’s absence, but I am apprehensive about a combined age of 38 going up against centre-backs totalling 63 years.

Knowing what we have seen from Piroe at the head of the attack, it has become tiresome to give the same analysis every time he is in there. He has not been a consistent threat and wasting an hour of Thursday’s match to reach the same conclusion is not appealing.

I would go with Joseph and Gray in that axis and hope their youthful fearlessness and energy guides United through. Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville will hopefully make it a dynamic attack that hurts Norwich’s older bodies.

Connor Roberts is another major temptation at right-back, especially when you consider Sam Byram on a quick turnaround between legs like this. Sadly, I just don’t think the Welshman has seen enough minutes of late to justify a start.

Byram was decent in Norwich and does not give me too many concerns, it’s more the pull of Roberts’s tenacity and play-off experience. Perhaps he can be a second-half difference-maker, like Daniel James, who would miss out on my side for the same reasons.

Beren’s XI: Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Gray, Summerville; Joseph.