A much-changed Leeds United advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after a thrilling 5-3 win on penalties against Premier League side Burnley at Turf Moor on Tuesday, and it has certainly given boss Thomas Christiansen something to think about ahead of the weekend clash against Ipswich Town.
The Spaniard decided to make nine changes to the team that lost their first match of the season against Millwall at The Den on Saturday, with Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Samu Saiz, Vurnon Anita and Kalvin Phillips among those dropping out of the starting XI.
Two goals for each team in a frantic end to the game saw the tie go to extra-time and then penalties, with the Yorkshire outfit’s players keeping their cool from the spot as the Whites saw off the Clarets and former players Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor.
The performances of some of the players that came into the side have certainly given their manager something to think about as he looks to get back to winning ways against Ipswich at Elland Road this weekend.
Here are four Leeds outcasts that have given Christiansen selection headaches after their Burnley heroics…
Conor Shaughnessy
The 21-year-old was one of only two Leeds players to keep his place in the starting line-up from the defeat to Millwall on Saturday amid injuries to Pontus Jansson, Liam Cooper and Matthew Pennington.
It was only the Irishman's fifth start in 11 matches though and after a wobbly performance against the Lions at the weekend, he bounced back at Turf Moor with a solid and assured display.
With the aforementioned trio of centre-backs potentially all available again for the visit of Ipswich, Christiansen has a big decision to make and it will be difficult to drop Shaughnessy after such an impressive showing.
Ronaldo Vieira
Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips have quickly established themselves as Thomas Christiansen's preferred central midfield partnership this season, but their below-par showing against Millwall and Vieira's energetic performance against Burnley has given the Spaniard a dilemma.
While the 18-year-old has played every minute of Leeds' Carabao Cup campaign this term, he has featured for just 31 minutes in the Championship, but that could change this weekend.
The England Under-20 international improved as the game went on at Turf Moor, and it was his initial intervention that set the visitors away on the break for Hadi Sacko’s opening goal.
Mateusz Klich
Like Vieira, while the Poland international has been a regular in the Carabao Cup, he has found first-team minutes hard to come by in the Championship, playing just 43.
The 27-year-old would surely have been hoping for better following his summer move from FC Twente, but his performance at Burnley should mean that Christiansen seriously considers keeping him in the side for the visit of Ipswich on Saturday.
The midfielder produced an assured performance alongside Vieira in the middle of the park and nonchalantly tucked away his spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out.
Hadi Sacko
Despite making 42 appearances in all competitions during his loan spell with Leeds last season, the 23-year-old has obviously failed to impress Christiansen after the move was made permanent during the summer transfer window.
The winger hasn't been in the Whites' Championship squad since he came on as a late substitute against Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the campaign, while he was only a 60th-minute substitute against Burnley on Tuesday.
However, he scored just 20 minutes after coming on with a fine goal to give the visitors the lead and caused a threat with his direct running.
After making the most of a rare chance, he has certainly given Christiansen something to think about ahead of the visit of the Tractor Boys on Saturday.
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