Big Leeds United change and huge boost as star returns from injury for Norwich City play-off

Leeds United have received a huge boost for Sunday’s Championship play-offs semi-final first leg at Norwich City for which a star returns from injury and boss Daniel Farke has made one big change.

Wales international winger Dan James has been out since suffering costal cartilage injury and an oblique abdominal muscle tear in last month's 4-3 win at Middlesbrough.

The winger consequently missed his side's last two games of the regular season but boss Daniel Farke revealed at Friday's pre-match press conference that James had returned to parts of team training.

James was given at least a chance of being available to face Norwich and the 26-year-old is on the bench as Farke makes one big change to his side. The one change sees Archie Gray come off the bench to replace Joel Piroe who drops to the bench.

That means a likely change in shape and a possible three-man midfield with Gray alongside Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara, all behind a front three of Willy Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.

Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford had already been ruled out of both legs of the semi-final due to his badly bruised knee eventually being diagnosed as mini trauma in his patellar tendon.

Pascal Struijk's season is over following surgery on a groin injury whilst Stuart Dallas is retiring having been unable to recover from a femoral fracture. Joe Gelhardt drops off the bench to make way for the return of James.

Canaries boss David Wagner has made two changes to his Norwich side in which young striker Jonathan Rowe makes his first start since February having recently recovered from a hamstring injury.

Rowe replaces Jacob Sorensen whilst Dimitris Giannoulis also comes in for Sam McCallum at left-back. Shane Duffy starts despite being arrested for drink driving earlier this week.

Onel Hernandez (broken foot), Liam Gibbs (quad) and Ashley Barnes (calf) are all out, Hernandez and Gibbs out for the season.

Norwich City: Gunn; Stacey, Duffy, Gibson, Giannoulis; Nunez, McLean, Nunez; Rowe, Sara, Sainz; Sargent. Subs: Long, Hanley, Batth, McCallum, Fisher, Sorensen, Welch, Fassnacht, van Hooijdonk.

Leeds United: Meslier, Byram, Ampadu, Rodon, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara, Gray, Gnonto, Summerville, Rutter, Piroe. Subs: Darlow, Roberts, Cooper, Cresswell, Shackleton, Anthony, James, Piroe, Joseph.

Referee: Josh Smith.