Leeds United have a chance to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup as they travel from Yorkshire to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening.
The Whites overcame Plymouth Argyle, after extra-time, in the last round to set up this tie against the Premier League outfit, who lost the League Cup final to Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday.
Daniel Farke's side are currently vying for promotion back to the top-flight as they sit second in the Championship table, following on from their 3-1 win over Leicester City on Friday night.
It remains to seen whether they see tonight's match as a welcome distraction or one that could knock their momentum in the league. The answer to that could be found in the German head coach's team selection if he does or does not rest a number of key players.
However, the former Norwich City boss could be forced to drop some of his key performers due to a number of injury issues picked up since the last match.
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Farke revealed in his pre-match press conference that three of his attacking players may not be available for the trip to Stamford Bridge this evening.
Star winger Crysencio Summerville rolled his ankle and the manager has claimed that the Dutch gem "might" not be fit to face the Blues in the FA Cup.
The former Feyenoord youngster is not the only potential absentee for the Whites, though, as Patrick Bamford has minor calf and ankle injuries that he is currently dealing with.
His absence would come as a blow for the side as it would limit the head coach's options at the top end of the pitch. He has also been in fantastic form of late, with two goals in his last two league appearances, and could have been a difference-maker with his quality in front of goal.
Farke has also revealed that Georginio Rutter has a hip flexor problem that means that he will be forced to make a late decision on his involvement in the match.
Appearances
33
Goals
Six
Assists
12
Big chances created
20
Key passes per game
2.2
Sofascore rating
7.37
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the French magician has been in fantastic form for Leeds in the second tier this season, particularly as a creative threat for the side, which is why it would also be a blow to lose him for this clash with Chelsea.
The manager may not want to risk any of those three players if they injuries to deal with as he may not want to cause further injury issues for them ahead of crucial Championship matches for the sake of a cup game.
With this in mind, Summerville must now be risked and should be left out of the squad, or on the bench, to avoid losing him for a longer period of time.
Whilst not starting the Dutchman is not ideal, given his form this season, Farke could ease the blow by unleashing Jaidon Anthony from the start.
Crysencio Summerville's electric form
The 22-year-old star has been a fantastic performer for Leeds throughout the Championship season so far as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
He has racked up 15 goals from an Expected Goals of 12.09 across 31 appearances in the second tier, which shows that the talented whiz has been ruthless in front of goal as a finisher.
Summerville has rarely missed a good opportunity to find the back of the net, as shown by his overperformance in comparison to the quality of chances, and is currently the top scorer within the squad.
The Whites star has also provided creativity for his teammates with 9.42 Expected Assists and eight assists, along with 16 'big chances' created and 2.9 key passes per game.
This suggests that his fellow attackers have let him down at times as they have not made the best of the opportunities that he has been able to create for them in the Championship.
Only Rutter (12) has provided more assists than Summerville for Leeds, whilst no player within the squad has produced more goals and assists combined than the Dutch gem (23) has so far.
Why Jaidon Anthony could ease Summerville blow
The Whites swooped to sign Anthony on loan from Bournemouth last summer but the English winger has not had too many chances to impress.
Summerville's electric form has prevented the Cherries ace from starting matches on a regular basis but that does not mean that he is not an excellent option for Farke to call upon.
The £25k-per-week wizard has only started two of his 23 appearances in the Championship – scoring one goal. However, he started both games against Plymouth in the fourth round and caught the eye on the left wing.
Minutes played
172
Goals
One
Chances created
Eight
Big chances created
One
Dribbles completed
Three
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Anthony provided a big threat as both a scorer and a creator in those two matches and was unfortunate not to register an assist from the eight chances that he created for his teammates.
The talented gem, who was once hailed as "first-class" by ex-boss Scott Parker, also showcased his attacking quality in the Championship for Bournemouth during the 2021/22 campaign, as they won promotion to the Premier League.
He scored eight goals, provided seven assists, and created 18 'big chances' in 45 appearances in the second tier for the Cherries as they finished second.
The 24-year-old ace ranked within the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers within the division for Expected Assisted Goals (0.25) per 90, and the top 8% for shot-creating actions (4.26) per 90, which shows that not many players made a greater impact in the final third in his position.
These statistics, and his form in the fourth round of the FA Cup this season, suggest that Anthony does have the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch, as a scorer and a creator, when he is at his best.
Whether or not the young speedster can reach his top form tonight remains to be seen but unleashing him from the start could ease the injury blow to Summerville, should Anthony showcase the best of his abilities.