Key player Leeds United injury return at Southampton with big calls and quartet out

Striker Patrick Bamford has yet to feature this season having suffered a hamstring injury in July’s pre-season friendly against Hearts but the forward has recently returned to team training and was declared by Farke as a possible topic for the trip to St Mary’s.

The Whites no 9 is part of the squad for the first time this season and makes the bench as boss Farke names an unchanged side despite Tottenham loanee centre-back Joe Rodon being back available from suspension and his other options within the squad.

Rodon was suspended for last weekend’s 3-0 win at home to Watford due to serving a one-match ban for his sending off due to a second booking in the midweek draw at Hull City. The Tottenham loanee’s place in the side was taken by captain Liam Cooper who made his first start since recovering from a ruptured plantar fascia in the opening weekend draw against Cardiff City.

Cooper partnered Pascal Struijk at centre-back against the Hornets and the duo keep their places at the heart of the defence as Rodon sits on the bench. Jamie Shackleton also keeps his place at right back as Luke Ayling stays on the bench while Glen Kamara makes a second start in midfield next to Ethan Ampadu as Archie Gray stays among the substitutes.

Bamford takes the place of Mateo Joseph on the bench whilst Rodon comes in for Charlie Cresswell as neither Joseph or Cresswell are involved.

Junior Firpo, Stuart Dallas, Willy Gnonto and Djed Spence remain out. Dallas has returned to training on the long comeback trail from a femoral fracture but is not yet involved and Firpo suffered problems with his hip upon recovering from torn lateral ligaments in his knee.

Saints boss Russell Martin has made four changes to his Southampton side as Che Adams, Ryan Fraser, Shea Charles and Mason Holgate all drop to the bench. Kamaldeen Sulemana, Stuart Armstrong, Carlos Alcaraz and Ryan Manning all come into the side.

Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning, Downes, Smallbone, Alcaraz, Kamaldeen, S Armstrong, A Armstrong. Subs: McCarthy, Bree, Holgate, Edozie, Aribo, Fraser, Adams, Mara.

Leeds United: Meslier, Shackleton, Cooper, Struijk, Byram, Ampadu, Kamara, Summerville, James, Piroe, Rutter. Subs: Darlow, Ayling, Rodon, Gruev, Gray, Poveda, Anthony, Gelhardt, Bamford.