Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Joe Urquhart has insisted Kiko Casilla will “100 per cent” be in the Leeds United starting XI against Rotherham on Saturday.
Speaking on the latest edition of the Inside Elland Road podcast (29:40), the correspondent agreed with host Phil Hay that Marcelo Bielsa will hand the January signing from Real Madrid his debut in the weekend Championship clash.
Urquhart was at Tadcaster Albion on Monday night to watch Casilla in action for Leeds Under-23s in their 3-2 win against Southampton.
“I think he 100 per cent starts at the weekend,” Urquhart. “It is not a slight on Peacock-Farrell. He did quite well at the weekend and made a couple of decent saves.
“Casilla starts, for me. He did well [on Monday], looks pretty confident playing out from the back. With a week of training under his belt, he will be more than happy to get going.”
OPINION
Even for a one-time Spain international joining from the European champions and who has a lorry load of La Liga experience, Saturday’s visit to Rotherham will be an eye-opener for Casilla. But the 32-year-old has not signed a four-and-a-half year contract with United to move from the world’s biggest club to be the understudy to Peacock-Farrell. The Northern Irishman has had a hit-and-miss campaign despite starting all but one of Leeds’ league matches. His fragility and wonky distribution has occasionally been seized upon by opponents, and Leeds have brought in Casilla as an immediate and proven upgrade. There is no doubt he must start against Rotherham after Bielsa felt he signed too late last week to go straight into the starting XI at Bristol City. He has had a week or so to get acclimatised and the Under-23s run-out should have been useful as Leeds fans get their first competitive look at the new arrival.