Sean Longstaff has been made to remain patient this season as Daniel Farke proves stubborn with his team selection. But on Saturday, when Leeds United go to Bournemouth, he has to start.

Leeds are expected to make a few changes later this afternoon, when the Whites go up against Marco Rose’s side. Rose and Farke have something in common – both have managed Gladbach at one stage.

Stach could start, even if Farke sounded unsure about him on Thursday. Noah Okafor is rested, and Nico Elvedi was also in training after illness. But below are three reasons why Longstaff deserves to start.

It would be Longstaff’s first league start of 26-27 – only coming on so far in four Premier League games. He has started twice in the Cup, but not started a league game since the win over Brighton in May.

Three reasons why Sean Longstaff should start v Bournemouth

Last season v Bournemouth and nearly scoring v Sunderland

Leeds are struggling to score goals at the moment. They might have conceded only six in their eight Premier League games and have the second-best defence in the league, but goals are drying up.

With just two goals scored in the last four games, there seems to be an over-reliance on feeding Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Leeds need a new source of goals, and Longstaff can provide them with that today.

He scored a last-minute equaliser against Bournemouth last season after coming off the bench, and in his last game at Sunderland, Longstaff came within a whisker of scoring twice. He is a goal threat from deep.

While Farke was unsure about his fitness, Stach appeared in the training video. It is unclear how fit the midfielder is going to be. Farke said this: “Anton Stach is still struggling a bit with his foot injury.”

But even if he is fit, Stach has struggled to provide as much creativity as he did last season from midfield. He might be excellent from set pieces, but Longstaff might offer more in the final third currently.

Longstaff has career-best stats against Bournemouth

When Leeds’ £15m signing netted an equaliser last season at Bournemouth on 97 minutes, it was his third goal against the Cherries. Over the years, for Leeds and Newcastle, he’s faced Bournemouth nine times.

That goal saw Leeds draw 2-2, while Longstaff had also scored for Leeds against Bournemouth at Elland Road earlier in the season. A game that also ended 2-2, Longstaff hammering one into the top corner.

He also netted against the Cherries for Newcastle. He’s scored more goals against Bournemouth than any other side, and that should be enough information for Farke to choose the £15m man later this afternoon.