Struijk and Byram return, 4-2-3-1: The predicted Leeds United XI to face Swansea City | OneFootball

Leeds United host Swansea City in a midweek clash at Elland Road in the Championship.

The Whites head into the game off the back of a disappointing draw with Rotherham in their previous game, but clawed back some points on Ipswich Town after they were defeated by West Brom. The Swans also took just one point from their Saturday game, throwing away a 2-0 lead at home to Hull City.

Leeds have won six of the last eight games, and all of their five games at Elland Road, showing the size of the task at hand for Michael Duff's side.

A win could take Leeds closer to the automatic promotion places. Here, we take a look at the starting lineup Daniel Farke could put out in search of his tenth league win as manager of Leeds. Could he make some changes from the draw against Rotherham?

GK: Illan Meslier

This position has been unchanged in the league all season for Farke, who knows who his number-one is. Leeds do not lack goalkeeping options with Karl Darlow also on their books, but the current first-choice is their most talented option, in the form of the 23-year-old.

When fit, he looks likely to retain his place for the majority of the rest of the season. Meslier has seldom been tested but largely performed well for Leeds in a more settled defensive unit. It would be nonsensical to drop him without an injury issue, forcing Farke into turning to his deputy.

RB: Archie Gray

Gray may be a midfielder by trade, but with Stuart Dallas and Djed Spence out for most of the season, Farke has had to experiment at right-back. Luke Ayling's form has dipped, whilst Jamie Shackleton is also an option at full-back and has performed fairly well, too.

However, not as well as Gray, who seems to be his go-to choice for the moment, with the 17-year-old deployed there frequently, starting at full-back regularly. He still deserves his spot for another game in the role once more, in spite of Spence's return. The Spurs loanee may be a long-term player there, but for now Gray has earned the shirt and Spence should be eased back in with short substitute appearances.

CB: Joe Rodon

Rodon has established himself well as Leeds' starting right-sided centre-back and despite featuring prominently for Wales during the international break and looking somewhat jaded against Rotherham, he is likely to continue as a starter. He keeps the balance between a right and left-footer at the heart of Leeds' defence, and is growing in stature by the game.

Farke will still wish to lean on the leadership of one of Ayling or Liam Cooper, but he also should not want to disrupt what has been a blossoming partnership at the heart of Leeds' defence when he can. Rodon has more quality on the ball than Cooper and Charlie Cresswell and remains strong aerially, too.

CB: Pascal Struijk

Another with more quality on the ball than all of Leeds' defensive options is Struijk, and he has been one of Leeds' most imperious and consistent players in the back line so far this term, and rightfully should come back into the team after making a full recovery from his double hernia operation.

Rodon and Struijk have a lot of promise as a pairing for the Whites, and should be allowed the time to develop further when fit. He has been excellent so far this season, and also captained the side on occasion as well. Struijk is proving to be a growing influence within the Leeds first-team dressing room for Farke, even at the age of just 24.

Sam Byram has been the embodiment of consistent and is a player the German knows well and is someone he can trust in his system from their time spent together at Norwich; however, Byram is also being protected somewhat by the German as he builds up his fitness after many years of injury issues.

Firpo was brought off the bench against Plymouth and started against Rotherham and is an option, but Byram's full recovery from a hamstring issue should see him reinstated to give Leeds their strong and reliable left-hand side of the defence once again. He has been a breath of fresh air and his return to Elland Road has been a successful one so far, linking up well with his winger and offering fantastic ball progression down the left flank for Leeds.

CM: Glen Kamara

Elements of Kamara's game are starting to shine through after initially being a substitute in his early season games. The 28-year-old's impressed so far and was particularly good against Huddersfield, Leicester, and Rotherham. His ball retention under pressure and carrying ability make him a great option and his passing has been neat and tidy thus far at knitting things together.

The Whites have been far too reliant on Gray in this role, who is evidently more than talented enough to play games at Championship level and make an impact, but is only 17 and in his first season as a professional. Kamara should continue to take the burden off his young shoulders and should be given another game from the start in what is Leeds' best midfield partnership.

The other half of that partnership and best summer signing by some distance, Ampadu has arguably been Leeds' best player so far this season and has shown outstanding consistency. Ampadu should keep his place for much of the campaign, be that to partner alongside Gray or Kamara at the base of midfield. However, he is a player who has played every minute of every game so far and may need to be rested at some stage in what is a busy month of fixtures over the festive period.

He will be tasked with picking up the pieces in transition and also instigating attacks from deep. His experience for his age is also vital and could be again. Like Rodon, Ampadu had a full-on international break and showed some signs of fatigue in a performance that dipped slightly below his usual standards, but he is too important to be dropped. Ampadu continues to go from strength to strength every game and grow in stature as a senior player aged only 23.

RW: Dan James

James notched twice against Huddersfield and once against Plymouth and has been a shoo-in recently following a recent injury to Willy Gnonto, who will have to settle with minutes from the bench for now. He can be frustrating at times with many promising attacks breaking down for Leeds down his flank, with James guilty of some of those instances. However, his relentless pressing and intensity, as well as his threat on the counter make him an obvious inclusion for Farke.

Jaidon Anthony may also be pushing for a starting berth soon, but Farke tends not to make too many changes unless enforced, so will probably allow James another chance to impress in a fixture against his former employers, no less. His speed can be a threat in-behind, and will be key here if he can be isolated against a full-back or centre-back one-on-one. His confidence will be sky-high, which also makes him undroppable.

CAM: Joel Piroe

Piroe is already well off the mark thanks to seven goal contributions already in a Leeds shirt since moving from South Wales. Like James and Rodon, he will be looking to impress against his old club. Leeds needed a more natural finisher than either Georginio Rutter or Patrick Bamford in their team, and the 24-year-old provides that, be that as the lone striker or behind a centre-forward to make runs into the box from deep.

Despite the goals, he has not always been afforded space to play and attack the box in games so far and can be a fairly anonymous figure in Leeds' press. However, Piroe will obviously be vital for the Whites all season and is proving to be in his early outings whilst his partnership with Leeds' main centre-forward develops. He will be desperate to score against the Swans.

LW: Crysencio Summerville

The Dutchman has played on the left and the right this season but has proved to be a devastating threat wherever he is deployed. He proved with his brace and two assists against Huddersfield that, when fit, he is currently Leeds' best wide man on either wing. The winner against QPR, assist against Bristol City, double against Norwich, and subsequent contributions against Huddersfield and Plymouth has been further evidence of his class lately.

He is Leeds' most in-form player, with another high quality finish against Rotherham a real show of his confidence recently. With Gnonto injured recently, many of Leeds' other wingers have the quality to displace him, but none are as good as Summerville. He has been one of Leeds' best performers and biggest threats when fit and should start over Anthony and Gnonto. Summerville deservedly won the Championship Player of the Month for October.

CF: Georginio Rutter

Rutter won Leeds' Player of the Month for September. He may not be an out-and-out lone striker, but Leeds and Farke have shown signs of developing him there with Piroe just behind the Frenchman, and he is making the position his own. Farke has remained short of options due to persistent injuries to the likes of Bamford. Rutter is the league's most creative threat, and his role in Leeds' attack was exemplified by the assist for Summerville in the Rotherham game.

Farke evidently wishes to develop Piroe and Rutter as a pairing and the latest fixture provides yet another opportunity for both to impress in tandem as they have done in previous games. Rutter's dribbling, carrying ability, and agility in tight spaces provide the supporting cast with space to explore. He has six assists to his name already, including multiple incredible passing displays. Rutter is ticking along nicely, even if he has only provided three goals so far.