Phil Hay has played down the possibility of Jesse Marsch turning to Darko Gyabi or Sonny Perkins in Leeds United’s clash with Liverpool tomorrow night.
Leeds are on a run of horrible form having lost four games in a row to slip into the Premier League’s bottom three. They are without a win in eight, too, stretching back to August’s clash with Chelsea at Elland Road.
Marsch is under pressure and things aren’t getting any easier with a big injury roster to overcome.
It’s been revealed by Marsch that there’s potential that Leeds are without all of Liam Cooper, Tyler Adams, Luis Sinisterra, Joe Gelhardt and Rodrigo at Liverpool, as well as Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw.
The likelihood is that his squad is stretched and forced to lean on the U21 set-up to select a 20-man squad, which throws names like Gyabi and Perkins, who have been excellent since signing, into the ring.
However, in the eyes of Phil Hay, who was speaking on the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show podcast, Marsch will be going with tried and trusted players rather than wildcards.
“I can’t see it unless he’s badly down on numbers. I think it will be trying to rely on the people he relies on most: Harrison, Bamford and everything else. That feels like key call, who starts up-front? It’s been back and forward between Bamford and Rodrigo, and I’m now at the point where I don’t really know who I’d go for, I’m really not sure.”
Quiz: Can you remember Leeds United’s last 15 results v Liverpool?
It’s probably not the time to be throwing either Gyabi or Perkins into the starting line-up at Anfield, although you would be minded to get them in the squad if so many first-team players are out.
They are the standout players in the U21s and deserve that to be recognised.
Plus, in Perkins’ case, he’s a goal machine and if Leeds need something late on, why not give him 10-15 minutes to try and make something happen.
Frankly, Leeds’ position needs a relative roll of the dice. Maybe not to the extreme of starting this pair, but certainly to consider them. After all, what’s going on right now isn’t exactly working, whether that’s Patrick Bamford or Rodrigo.
Should Perkins be promoted to the first team?
Yes
No
