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Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla will miss the Championship clash with Millwall at Elland Road at the end of the month after picking up a one-match ban for the red card he received against Sheffield United on Saturday, and it gives Bailey Peacock-Farrell an unexpected chance.

On the chalkboard

Despite being Marcelo Bielsa’s first-choice between the sticks in the first half of the season, the 22-year-old was cast aside almost immediately to accommodate former Real Madrid man Casilla following his arrival during the January transfer window.

The experienced 32-year-old had played every minute of league action since January 26 – until he saw red late on against the Blades at the weekend that is.

Peacock-Farrell looked as though he would be spending the run-in sat on the substitutes’ bench, but he now has a massive opportunity and he will know he needs to take it.

What could he do?

Despite what happened with the 6ft 4in stopper at the beginning of 2019, Bielsa has shown previously that he is willing to stick with a player in the starting XI if they are performing well.

Should the Northern Ireland international get the nod against the Lions – as expected – and puts in a stellar performance and gets a clean sheet for example, there is no reason why he may not keep his place the following weekend.

If that happens and continues to happen in the remaining fixtures of the campaign, he could well be the Yorkshire outfit’s unexpected hero as they look to secure a top-two finish and a return to the Premier League.

The goalkeeper’s role in the team is vital, and if Peacock-Farrell can pull off saves and keep the ball out of the net, he could be the hero in May – that’s something he wouldn’t have thought was possible prior to last weekend.