Fulham v Leeds United: Premier League – live

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Gracia’s decision to keep Wilfried Gnonto out of the team is a bold one given the Italian’s popularity with the fans. The Leeds head coach clearly wants to see more from the 19-year-old.

The teams

Fulham starting XI: Leno, Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Palhinha, Wilson, Pereira, Willian, De Cordova-Reid.

Subs: Rodak, Duffy, Kebano, Cairney, Solomon, Soares, Lukic, Vinicius, Diop.

One change for Fulham, Bobby Decordova-Reid gets the nod ahead of Carlos Vinicius up front, with James ineligble.

Leeds starting XI: Meslier, Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Wober, McKennie, Roca, Harrison, Aaronson, Summerville, Rodrigo.

Subs: Robles, Ayling, Firpo, Forshaw, Bamford, Struijk, Sinisterra, Rutter, Gnonto.

Leeds make three changes. Junior Firpo, Pascal Struijk and Luis Sinisterra drop to the bench. In come captain Liam Cooper, Max Wober and Crysencio Summerville. Bamford is only fit enough to make the bench.

Preamble

If results do not go Leeds’ way today they will be in the bottom three come 5pm. They have shipped 11 goals in their last two matches and Patrick Bamford, a player who offers something different to anyone else in the Leeds squad, is not 100% fit and in goal Illan Meslier is under pressure over his place. The various permutations of a starting XI that Javi Gracia could turn to, suggest a lack of clarity. In short, the sun is not currently shining on the Lilywhites of west Yorkshire.

For the Lilywhites of west London things are far rosier. While a slump in form has all-but ended hopes of European football next season, a win last week means that they will be in the Premier League at the very least – an achievement that should not be overlooked given the preseason predictions of doom. Now, even with the talismanic Aleksandar Mitrović serving a long suspension, Marco Silva appears to have found new ways to win. In the victory at Everton, Daniel James – who I am still convinced actually plays week in, week out for Leeds – was the attacking focal point. With his parent club in town, the Welshman misses out on the chance to back up his performance at Goodison. The battle for Fulham now is the motivation to keep playing with so little on the line. Leeds will be hoping to find their hosts on the preverbial beach.

Fulham v Leeds is not what the marketeers at the ‘Best League in the World^TM’ would ideally serve as one of the games of the day, but there is more than enough here to make this fixture a nice little amuse-bouche for the rest Saturday’s footballing feast.