Ao Tanaka was seen hobbling around the Old Trafford pitch at full-time vs Manchester United, and Daniel Farke will have made up his mind for the crucial clash against Wolves
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:30, 17 Apr 2026Updated 10:10, 17 Apr 2026
Noah Okafor and Ao Tanaka starred vs Manchester United(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Noah Okafor is undroppable following his double at Manchester United, as is Ao Tanaka. There were worries surrounding the midfielder’s fitness after being seen hobbling around Old Trafford after full-time, but this was merely due to cramp rather than anything more sinister.
So he will surely start again in midfield alongside Ethan Ampadu, with Brenden Aaronson and Okafor sitting behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The English striker was integral to Monday’s win, despite not scoring in his last six Premier League games.
Okafor is the man proving to be the most consistent, with four goals in as many Premier League games and six goal contributions in as many Leeds outings.
“I think there is still room for improvement in his all-around game but you have to say, even what he has done during the season, how he’s developed, I think it’s quite impressive,” said Daniel Farke on Thursday.
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In defence, Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson will retain their full-back positions having wreaked havoc against the Manchester United back-line on Monday. It is also the natural choice given James Justin will play at right centre-back amid Joe Rodon’s injury absence.
As of Thursday afternoon, Rodon, Anton Stach and Daniel James were all yet to return to team training. Joining Justin in the back-three will be Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk. They will protect the in-form Karl Darlow, who has conceded just one goal in his last three appearances.
It is very much a case of not changing a winning formula, albeit Wolves will pose a different kind of threat. Nevertheless, a win against the bottom club would take the Whites to 39 points and surely on the brink of Premier League safety with Tottenham in action against Brighton on Saturday evening.
Predicted XI: Darlow; Justin, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Okafor, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin.