There could be as many as eight changes to Leeds United’s starting XI
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
09:00, 14 Feb 2026
Facundo Buonanotte could get his first start(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Daniel Farke is expected to ring in the changes for Leeds United’s FA Cup trip to Birmingham City on Sunday with the tie coming as a nice reprieve from league action.
Having secured a noble 2-2 draw at Chelsea, next up in the Premier League are Aston Villa and Manchester City so this weekend offers Daniel Farke the chance to rest some players and give fringe squad members a run out.
Lucas Perri could get his first outing since being dropped by Farke last month. He is now the back-up goalkeeper and this comes as his best chance to show he still perhaps has a fighting chance of getting back into the starting XI in due course.
The back three might still see Jaka Bijol start given he has not long returned from injury although Pascal Struijk is set to miss out for another game with hip flexor issue. So Sebastiaan Bornauw, who is unlikely to start in the league if all defenders are fit, could get the nod with Sam Byram coming in centrally to complete the trio.
With James Justin now a regular alongside Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson, all three could be rested. We therefore could see Daniel James start his first game since November, perhaps at right wing-back like he did against Manchester City – the game in which he got injured.
Wilfried Gnonto scored against Derby County in the last round while at right wing-back and it would not be a surprise to see him come back in at St Andrew’s, perhaps on the left, as he did at Man City in November.
The midfield three might remain quite strong. Ethan Ampadu is not one to need much of a rest and so he could be flanked by Ao Tanaka and Sean Longstaff. The attacking duo might take a few different forms, which makes it hard to predict.
But Joel Piroe could start as the leading striker with Facundo Buonanotte just off him in the supporting striker role. That would mark the January signing’s full Leeds debut.
There might be a temptation to start 4-3-3, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility. But even against Derby, Farke used 3-5-2 and it might be too much of a change to switch system as well as personnel.
Predicted XI: Perri; Bornauw, Bijol, Byram; James, Tanaka, Ampadu, Longstaff, Gnonto; Buonanotte, Piroe.
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