Farke must now axe Aaronson to unleash “electric” Leeds ace instead

Leeds United face Millwall at Elland Road tonight looking to return to winning ways after falling to a first Championship defeat since November against Portsmouth on Sunday.

Daniel awake will want to see a reaction from his side as they look to further bolster their push for promotion as the season gradually approaches its conclusion.

The Whites have already received a boost ahead of the clash with Alex Neil’s side, with promotion rivals Sheffield United and Burnley both dropping points at home against Bristol City and West Brom last night.

However, if Farke’s side are to avoid following suit, multiple changes may need to be made from the side that lost on the South Coast at the weekend, handing them the best chance of extending their lead at the summit.

One player in particular needs to be dropped from the side, with his performance against Pompey below the levels expected of a player pushing for a return to the Premier League.

Why Aaronson needs to be dropped against Millwall

Attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson returned to Leeds in the summer after spending last season on loan at Union Berlin following relegation from England’s top flight.

The American international has posted eight goals and two assists in his 36 league appearances to date, only managing one of those contributions since the turn of the year.

His showing against Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon was an unacceptable one, failing to deliver in the final third and unable to prevent the side from falling to defeat.

The 24-year-old only managed 21 touches, completing just 11 passes, but also lost 100% of the duels that he entered – highlighting how disappointing in and out of possession.

After such a disappointing showing, Farke must take action and drop him from the side, needing to hand one player a needed start to try and claim an important victory.

The player who Farke needs to start against Millwall

Since the start of the campaign, the Whites have often had a very settled side with very few changes made – mainly only occurring due to injuries or suspension.

Despite Aaronson’s poor form, he’s started every single game since the end of August, with the manager needing to take him out of the firing line and hand a start to Largie Ramazani this evening.

The Belgian joined in an £11m deal from Almeria in the summer but has struggled with injuries, returning to first team action over the last couple of weeks.

The 24-year-old has found starts hard to come by after his big-money transfer, appearing from the off just seven times in 2024/25, but still managing to register four goals and two assists in the process.

Ramazani, who’s previously been labelled “electric” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench against Pompey at the weekend, looking to make an impact after falling behind.

During his 22 minutes on the pitch, he registered 11 touches and completed six passes whilst also completing 100% of his crosses – producing an encouraging showing in such a short period.

While he’s primarily a winger, Farke could look to shift him centrally or even opt for Daniel James or Manor Solomon to move inside and allow for Ramazani to enter the attack at Aaronson’s expense.

Sunday’s defeat was a disappointing one for the club, especially after their recent form, which has seen their phenomenal unbeaten run lead them to the top of the table.

Given the dropped points from their rivals last night, it’s pivotal that Farke’s side return to winning ways, putting them one step closer to ending their two-year absence from the top flight.