Leeds United are gearing up to host Crystal Palace at Elland Road this Sunday, and manager Daniel Farke is urging his squad to maintain their recent momentum. The Eagles have endured a difficult start to their Premier League campaign with three losses in their opening four matches. However, they recently found their rhythm on the continent. Palace secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Polish side Lech Poznań in the Europa League on Thursday evening. Despite the quick turnaround, Farke has dismissed the notion that Leeds will face a fatigued side. Instead, he acknowledged that the comprehensive midweek win will serve as a significant confidence booster for their opponents, noting that their travel schedule was relatively light and the match was played flawlessly.
Turning to team news, Leeds appear to be in strong shape overall. Defender Joe Rodon remains the only confirmed absentee for the weekend clash. Midfielder Ilia Gruev could return to the matchday squad after getting valuable minutes with the Under-21 side last week. Furthermore, supporters breathed a sigh of relief on Monday when Gabriel Gudmundsson’s apparent injury was diagnosed as mere cramp rather than a serious muscular issue.
The primary talking point heading into the weekend revolves around whether new signing Jean-Mattéo Bahoya will finally make his Leeds United debut. The 21-year-old arrived on deadline day from Eintracht Frankfurt on a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy for a reported fee of around 20 million pounds plus add-ons. During his time in the Bundesliga, the French winger recorded five goals and seven assists in 59 appearances. His most extraordinary trait is his blistering pace. Bahoya clocked a top speed of 23.09 miles per hour during the 2024/25 German season, a sprint metric comparable to the average speed of Usain Bolt. He is statistically one of the fastest players ever recorded in professional football. Bahoya primarily operates as a left winger, but he has also shown a strong capability to play in a central attacking midfield role. This versatility provides Farke with multiple tactical options once the Frenchman is fully integrated. Bahoya was the seventh and final recruit in a busy summer transfer window for Leeds, signaling a major long-term investment by the club.
Despite this incredible physical tool, Farke has been highly cautious about integrating the youngster. The manager revealed that Bahoya was merely seconds away from entering the pitch during the recent League Cup defeat to Chelsea. Farke explained that putting an unprepared young player into the intense environment of the Premier League is an unforgivable mistake. He stressed that a poor debut performance can severely damage a prospect’s confidence. While Bahoya has an excellent character, Farke believes the winger still needs to improve his physical conditioning. The manager did confirm, however, that the player is making daily progress in training and has a genuine chance of being involved against Palace.
Following Sunday’s fixture, Leeds will enter an extended three-week international break. Farke is already planning how to utilize this downtime. While the squad will be given days to recover, the coaching staff will focus heavily on fine-tuning tactical details. This break will be particularly crucial for Bahoya, offering him uninterrupted time on the training pitch to adapt to Farke’s demanding system.