Leeds United XI vs Aston Villa predicted as Marcelo Bielsa without four key stars

Aston Villa finally return to Premier League action this evening after a two-and-a-half week break as Leeds United travel to Villa Park.

Marcelo Bielsa's side make the trip down to the Midlands off the back of a home defeat to Newcastle United, but during the mid-season interval Leeds have welcomed back a few first-team players to their squad.

The Whites' injury list had been cut to just four names earlier this week, with Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford and Junior Firpo still unavailable.

Tonight's game will see a place in the squad for midfielder Adam Forshaw who has overcome a hamstring injury sustained midway through last month. But it has come too early for left-back Firpo who is set to make a comeback to fitness for the weekend game against Everton.

Meanwhile, Jamie Shackleton could be involved in a matchday squad for the first time since the 7-0 defeat to Manchester City late last year.

Youngsters Lewis Bate, Joe Gelhardt, Stuart McKinstry, Leo Hjelde and Liam McCarron are all likely to be named in Leeds' squad making the trip to Villa Park, too.

Here is the 20-man squad Marcelo Bielsa is expected to name this evening.

: Illan Meslier, Kristoffer Klaesson, Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas, Pascal Struijk, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Leo Hjelde, Liam McCarron, Adam Forshaw, Lewis Bate, Jamie Shackleton, Mateusz Klich, Tyler Roberts, Rodrigo Moreno, Raphinha, Jack Harrison, Daniel James, Stuart McKinstry, Joe Gelhardt

Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Dallas; Forshaw; Raphinha, Klich, Rodrigo, Harrison; Gelhardt.