Rutter out: If Leeds United, Leicester and Southampton combined, this would be the best XI

Leeds United, Leicester City, and Southampton are among the promotion favorites in the Championship this season.

Leicester City currently sits at the top of the table after winning 10 of their first 11 league games.
Leeds United has been building up significant momentum and sits fifth in the table with 19 points from their first 11 league games.
Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton are among the promotion favourites in the Championship this season.

The trio were relegated from the Premier League last season, and all three were widely tipped to challenge for an immediate top flight return at the start of the campaign.

Leicester have enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, and they head into the international break sitting top of the table after winning 10 of their first 11 league games.

Leeds currently sit fifth in the table after picking up 19 points from their first 11 league games, and while the Whites are nine points behind second-placed Ipswich Town and 11 points behind leaders Leicester, they have been building up significant momentum in recent weeks.

After a positive start to the season, Southampton suffered four consecutive defeats in September, but despite that, they are 10th in the table, just one point from the play-off places.

Leeds, Leicester and Southampton arguably have the strongest squads in the division, and we looked at the best starting line-up if the three teams combined.

GK: Illan Meslier (Leeds United)
Illan Meslier of Leeds United
After being dropped at the back end of last season, Meslier has been restored as Leeds’ number one goalkeeper, and he has rediscovered his form in the early weeks of the campaign.

Mads Hermansen has impressed since his move to Leicester this summer, but based on his potential, Meslier gets the nod between the sticks.

RB: Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City)
Ricardo Pereira
It is a tough call between Leicester’s Pereira and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters, but Pereira just has the edge.

The 30-year-old starred for the Foxes as they won the FA Cup and challenged for the Champions League under Brendan Rodgers, and he has shown his quality in the Championship this season.

CB: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton)

It was a huge coup for Southampton to land Harwood-Bellis on loan from Manchester City this summer, with an obligation to buy for £20 million if the club are promoted.

The Saints have had their defensive issues in the early weeks of the season, but Harwood-Bellis, who won the Championship title with Burnley last term, will be a huge asset in the year ahead.

CB: Pascal Struijk (Leeds United)
Pascal Struijk
Struijk may have gone under the radar during his time at Elland Road, but he has become an integral part of the Leeds defence this season.

The 24-year-old’s ability on the ball has been key to implementing Daniel Farke’s style of play, and the trust the German has in him is underlined by the fact he has worn the captain’s armband on a number of occasions.

Leicester’s Jannik Vestergaard, Wout Faes, Harry Souttar, Conor Coady and Callum Doyle are all excellent options, but it is difficult to leave Struijk out after his start to the campaign.

LB: Sam Byram (Leeds United)
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While Southampton’s Ryan Manning is arguably the standout left-back in the division, he has struggled to make an impact since his move to St Mary’s this summer.

Byram has been outstanding since his return to Leeds in August, starring both defensively and offensively, and on current form, he deserves to be included.

RW: Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United)
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Leeds managed to keep hold of Summerville following relegation, rejecting a £20 million bid from Burnley for the winger on deadline day.

While Summerville struggled to perform consistently in the Premier League, he certainly has the ability to be one of the most dangerous players in the Championship, and he will cause plenty of problems for opposition defences this season.

CM: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United)

Ampadu joined Leeds from Chelsea this summer for £7 million plus add-ons, and that fee already looks to be something of a bargain.

The 23-year-old has been one of the best players in the Championship so far this season, and while Harry Winks has also performed well since his move to Leicester, it is impossible to include Ampadu.

CM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City)
Premier League – Crystal Palace v Leicester City
Dewsbury-Hall remained at Leicester following the club’s relegation this summer, but in truth, he is more than capable of playing in the Premier League.

The 25-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances for the Foxes this season, and there will be plenty more to come over the course of the campaign.

LW: Kasey McAteer (Leicester City)
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While the likes of Leeds’ Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto are more established names, it is tough to leave McAteer out after his outstanding start to the season.

McAteer spent the second half of last season on loan at AFC Wimbledon in League Two, but he was promoted to the first team by Enzo Maresca this campaign, and he has been one of the surprise stars in the Championship so far, netting five goals in nine appearances.

ST: Joel Piroe (Leeds United)
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Piroe was one of the signings of the summer in the Championship, making the move to Leeds from Swansea City.

The Dutchman was a prolific scorer during his two-year spell with the Swans, and he has enjoyed an excellent start to life at Elland Road, scoring five goals in his first eight appearances for the club.

ST: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Jamie Vardy
Southampton’s Adam Armstrong, Che Adams and Ross Stewart all deserve a mention, but Vardy has to be included in this team.

There were question marks over whether Vardy could still perform in the Championship at 36 years of age, but he has certainly silenced his doubters, scoring five goals in his first 12 appearances this season.