Djed Spence is facing an unexpected fight to earn his place in Daniel Farke’s Leeds United side.

The right-back managed just nine minutes of action for Leeds before being sidelined with a knee injury. He returned to the matchday squad for the first time since August in midweek but the 23-year-old was an unused substitute in the wins over Swansea and Middlesbrough.

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee’s absence, plus Jamie Schackleton’s injury, presented Archie Gray with an opportunity to occupy an unfamiliar role. The teeanger was seen as a stand-in, given that Spence was widely viewed as the Championship’s best right-back, two seasons ago.

However, in the victory over Middlesbrough, the 17-year-old Gray proved that he is growing into his new position, making a number of attacking runs that pinned the away side back and assisting Cysencio Summerville’s goal. Gray’s performance was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn in the aftermath of the win at Elland Road.

“He’s just so composed. And he knows what’s around him when he’s receiving it,” Redfearn told BBC Radio Leeds. “Number of times he just dropped his shoulder and got away from defenders. Got some key balls in, assist for the second goal, great ball in.

Obviously as his career goes on, he’s going to be a midfield player. But at this moment, you wouldn’t think so. He looks like an established right-back. And he plays there easily. I thought he was excellent today.”

Spence will likely get a chance to stake his claim as Leeds navigate their busy fixture list throughout December. However, it may not prove to be the seamless return to the team that many fans may have expected, with Farke already explaining that Spence must continue to prove himself in training.

“Today we got the feeling he deserves already to be in the squad because the last days and training he was quite on it and it was quite impressive for that we decided today to have Djed as an option also with us,” the Leeds boss said, after the win over Swansea.

“If he works that concentrated and focused, especially on this fitness level, because we don’t have to talk about his potential and his quality, he has proved this on this level, but if you work further on that, focused and concentrated in training each and every day and also to gain more and more rhythm. Yes, also good chances in the upcoming weeks to be involved with game time.”