Leeds United face one of the toughest tests they’ll be up against all season this weekend as they host Manchester City at Elland Road.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been one of the dominant forces in world football over the past few years, breaking all sorts of records and consistently picking up silverware each season.

Unfortunately for Leeds, they will be without one of their most important players on Saturday evening as Jack Harrison will be ineligible to play against his parent club, meaning United will have to look towards an alternative.

Marcelo Bielsa has hinted that Ezgjan Alioski will take Harrison’s place, and with the Macedonian struggling for game time so far this season, this will be a huge opportunity for him to stake a claim for a place in the XI.

However, this chance may have come along at the worst possible time, because playing against Manchester City is always a mammoth task.

Both Alioski and Stuart Dallas are able to play as either a left-back or a left-midfielder, so Bielsa could end up playing the Macedonian in either role, but no matter which spot he ends up in, his job will prove incredibly difficult.

He may be tasked with defending Riyad Mahrez, a man in hot form, getting a goal and an assist in his first league appearance of the season against Leicester, while generally being one of the trickiest wingers in the division, contributing to 20 league goals last term.

Or, he may be tasked with trying to attack down Kyle Walker’s side, which is another nigh on impossible task with the England international remaining one of the strongest defenders in the division, being dribbled past just once so far this season.

The Macedonian has his admirers, indeed Danny Mills raved about his form a year ago, praising his “infectious” attitude (Football Insider).

But he is set for a baptism of fire no matter where he is deployed if he is given his first ever Premier League start at the weekend, and he may end up struggling to make the most of taking this chance to cement himself as a regular starter in Bielsa’s XI.

In other news, this Spurs star should try and force through a move to Leeds…