Daniel Farke says Leeds United are working to find solutions at left-back if they are without both Sam Byram and Jamie Shackleton.
Farke was speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s match with Bristol City, in which he was asked who would play left-back amid their current fitness issues.
It has already been confirmed Junior Firpo will not return from his respective injury until after the international break, while Jamie Shackleton will also miss his second successive match with a shoulder problem.
Sam Byram has been Leeds’ first choice at left-back but there are still question marks as to whether he can play three games in a week, particularly with such a short turnaround between QPR and Bristol City.
In the event Byram is not able to make it, Farke says Leeds have been working on some potential solutions, including a change in formation.
He said: “Not an unbelievable amount of numbers but I am quite sure we will send out 11 players on the pitch. It’s always possible to change the formation, sometimes to play a player who is perhaps not used to playing in a full back position because there aren’t too many available.
“We have to go for such a solution if we don’t play our base formation. It would be a bit tricky but everything would be boring if it was always easy, so we are working on some options.
One potential option could be bringing Leo Hjelde back in from the cold, though after his early season performances, that feels unlikely.
If Farke was to change his system, you would imagine Liam Cooper would be brought in as part of a back three, with Luke Ayling and one of the wingers as wing-backs.
Farke certainly faces a big call as in no way will he want to risk Byram’s fitness if he is not 100%, and so it will be interesting to see which way he goes.
