Leeds United star misses out at Queens Park Rangers after issue and youngster named on bench

Whites boss Daniel Farke has made one change to his Leeds United side for this evening’s potentially promotion defining clash at Championship hosts Queens Park Rangers.

Farke revealed at Thursday’s pre-match press conference that Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford was a major doubt for the Friday night clash at Loftus Road due to a badly bruised knee on the back of Monday night’s 4-3 win at Middlesbrough.

Bamford arrived at Loftus Road and checked out the pitch with his teammates but the striker does not make the XI or bench as Joel Piroe instead comes into the side upfront for the only change.

Joe Rodon took a knock to his calf in the victory at the Riverside in which left back Junior Firpo soldiered on following a recent bout of illness which had him feeling sick in the second half. Both players start for Farke’s Whites.

Dan James, Connor Roberts, Pascal Struijk and the soon-to-be-retiring Stuart Dallas were already all known to be out injured.

Youngster Charlie Crew, meanwhile, has been named on the bench where there is also a return for Charlie Cresswell.

Rs boss Marti Cifuentes has named an unchanged QPR side, the same XI starting that began last weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Preston North End. QPR sit 18th in the table, four points above the dropzone.

QPR: Begovic; Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal; Field, Colback; Willock, Andersen, Chair; Dykes. Subs: Walsh, Cannon, Fox, Larkeche, Dixon-Bonner, Adomah, Hayden, Smyth, Armstrong.

Leeds United: Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Gray; Summerville, Gnonto, Rutter, Piroe. Subs: Darlow, Cooper, Cresswell, Shackleton, Kamara, Crew, Anthony, Gelhardt, Joseph.