Chris Sutton urges Daniel Farke to make a change to his Leeds United starting XI at Wembley

Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton admits he would bring Patrick Bamford straight back into Leeds United's starting XI for the Championship play-off final next week. Bamford has been struggling with a knee issue over the last month or so and has consequently missed the club's last four games.

The striker sat out of the Whites' final two regular season fixtures against QPR and Southampton, while he was also ruled out of both play-off semi-final games against Norwich City, with Daniel Farke speaking publicly to confirm the forward's minor patella trauma. As such, it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to feature at Wembley next Sunday.

If the former England international can prove his fitness, though, Sutton admits he would be giving him the nod over Joel Piroe. That's despite Piroe's impressive performance against the Canaries on Thursday night. The Dutchman scored Leeds' second on the night, his 14th of the season so far, in what was easily his most impressive performance for some time and on another day he could have had one or two more as well, with Angus Gunn being forced to make a series of fine saves.

However, despite Piroe's showing at Elland Road, Sutton would still be making a change up front when Leeds take on either Southampton or West Bromwich Albion.

"It's a nice call," Sutton said on Sky Sports when asked about Farke's attacking dilemma. "The important thing from a Leeds perspective this evening, they went a little bit defensive at Carrow Road and got the result, they were more attacking tonight, but which way will he about it? Will he go with another body in midfield in the final?

“It's about hitting that final hard. When you think about they'd lost form, this result will have the players in that dressing room really fancying the final now. It's not like they just squeaked past Norwich, it was how they did it and the style in which they did. They'll go with big confidence now."

Follow Farke’s side and the latest news with the Yorkshire Evening Post’s free Leeds United email newsletter. Pushed on the player he'd select up front for the Whites, Sutton added: "I'd always go for Bamford. I think they're a better team with him in it and I think he's better at leading the line.

"As I say, to have that strength in depth, you look at Norwich's bench and Leeds' bench. That strength in depth is brilliant to have going into the final."

Leeds will find out their Wembley opponents this evening as Southampton and West Brom go head to head in the second leg of their semi-final at St Mary’s Stadium. The two sides played out a goalless draw in the first half of the contest ensuring the clash on the south coast remains on a knife edge.