Leeds United employee issues Luke Ayling claim as two changes on the cards
Noel Whelan has suggested Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper could both come into the Leeds United lineup to face Aston Villa on Sunday (2 October).
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested Ayling’s “athleticism” could be vital to maintaining Jesse Marsch’s intense style.
Neither player started almost a month ago when Leeds United were beaten 5-2 away from home at Brentford on 3 September.
Speaking in his pre-Villa press conference (30 September) and quoted by Leeds Live, manager Marsch confirmed Cooper, Ayling, and Junior Firpo are available – but insisted it will be a “tough decision” to pick between Ayling and new signing Rasmus Kristensen.
He insisted Cooper is “100%” fit and “really ready to go”.
Leeds United sit 11th in the league on eight points despite seeing back-to-back fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Man United suspended.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “For me, Cooper is a leader and a competitor out there.
“He’s very important to this team with his voice and his presence, but it’s just a case of whether Jesse Marsch wants to change those two centre-backs.
“Cooper has a chance of starting, but Ayling – for me – is a no-brainer. He needs to be on that right-hand side giving us all that athleticism and knowledge of the game.
“He gives us another dimension with his ability to get up and down the pitch.
“That’s the way we play the game.”
Former Yeovil man Ayling underwent knee surgery toward the end of the 2021-22 campaign and missed the first five games of the new campaign.
Cooper has struggled with a calf injury which has seen him play just 45 senior minutes this term.
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