Two Leeds United debuts and striker call with key men out for Cardiff City opener

Farke was already without six players through injury for last weekend’s final pre-season friendly at Hearts for which Tyler Adams, Jack Harrison, Junior Firpo, Cody Drameh, Sam Greenwood and longer-term absentee Stuart Dallas were all missing.

The new Whites boss then lost both of his strikers in the 1-0 win at Tynecastle as Georginio Rutter was forced off with a core muscle injury before his replacement Patrick Bamford later injured his hamstring.

Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Farke revealed that neither player would be available this weekend and that a third striker in Mateo Joseph had now picked up a fresh injury having rolled his ankle in training this week.

With Bamford, Rutter and Joseph all missing, the new Whites boss has selected a front four of Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville, Dan James and Willy Gnonto and it seems likely that Gnonto will play at no 9.

Ethan Ampadu, a summer signing from Chelsea, makes his competitive Whites debut in midfield alongside 17-year-old Archie Gray who makes his professional and Whites debut after impressing during pre-season.

Sam Byram is on the bench having re-joined the Whites this week as Leo Hjelde gets the nod at left back. Illan Meslier starts in goal as new signing Karl Darlow makes the bench whilst Pascal Struijk is chosen to partner captain Liam Cooper at centre back as Charlie Cresswell is named on the bench.

The six players that were missing for the Hearts friendly are still out in addition now to Bamford, Rutter and Joseph but Sonny Perkins and Lewis Bate re-appear amongst the substitutes.

New signings Aaron Ramsey and Karlan Grant both start for Cardiff under their new boss Erol Bulut.

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Hjelde, Ampadu, Gray, Sinisterra, James, Summerville, Gnonto. Subs: Darlow, Cresswell, Byram, Shackleton, Gyabi, Bate, Poveda, Perkins, Gelhardt.

Cardiff City: Alnwick; Ng, Goutas, McGuinness, O'Dowda; Wintle, Ralls; Bowler, Ramsey, Grant; Ugbo. Subs: Luthra, Romeo, Etete, Collins, Adams, Meite, Simpson, Rinomhota, Robinson.

Referee: Josh Smith.