Leeds are set to play against Premier League opposition in a competitive game for the first time since Marcelo Bielsa’s appointment on Monday evening as they travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the FA Cup.
The Whites have been knocking on the door of the top-flight since the Argentine arrived, despite their squad containing a similar core of players to the team that finished 13th the season before the 64-year-old took charge at Elland Road.
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Of course, despite their commanding league position in the Championship, there are some questions around the Premier League credentials of some of United’s players, but this could be a chance to test them.
If the Whites go up, they’ll have money to spend as the cash windfall from the top-flight’s TV deal is incredibly lucrative, but Bielsa may want to use this match as an opportunity to have a look at which players need replacing if Leeds go up.
The likes of Kalvin Phillips and Kiko Casilla probably don’t need this type of test as they’ve shown enough to cement a starting spot in the Premier League, with Casilla winning three Champions Leagues and Phillips being the subject of £40m interest from top sides.
However, players such as Luke Ayling, Liam Cooper and Mateusz Klich might be players Bielsa wants to see feature against one of the best the country has to offer.
The three aforementioned names have all been brilliant for Leeds over the past two seasons. Cooper was named in the PFA team of the Year while Ayling contributed to eight goals in 2018/19. Klich, meanwhile, took his tally to 19.
However, they’ve rarely, if ever, had the chance to play against talent of Arsenal’s calibre.
There’s every chance that these Championship veterans could flop once they get to the big leagues, and Bielsa has a chance of seeing that on Monday rather than finding out the hard way in August.
In other news, Phil Hay has provided a negative update on Leeds’ pursuit of Che Adams.
