Phil Hay shares new injury update on “dangerous” Leeds star
The player in question had been in excellent form of late.
On Wednesday night, Daniel Farke and Leeds United will take a break from their push for Championship promotion when they travel to Chelsea for an FA Cup fifth-round tie.
Leeds sailed past League One Peterborough United in the third round, winning 3-0 away at the Weston Homes Stadium, but were made to work by Plymouth Argyle last time out in this competition. After a 1-1 draw with Elland Road, Farke’s men ran out 4-1 winners in the replay, but only after extra time.
The dynamic for this particular match-up is intriguing. Leeds’ priority this season will be achieving promotion, but all the pressure is off the Whites, while Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea simply have to respond after losing Sunday’s 120-minute Carabao Cup final to Liverpool. If the visitors get off to a strong start, it could make for an uneasy atmosphere. Unfortunately, though, they are dealing with a few injury concerns heading into the game.
Bamford may miss out vs Chelsea
Reporting from Farke’s pre-match press conference, The Athletic’s Phil Hay says Patrick Bamford is a doubt with a new “minor” calf and ankle problem. Elsewhere, Crysencio Summerville may be unavailable after rolling his ankle
The manager plans to make late decisions on Dan James, who’s picked up a “little bruise”, and Georginio Rutter, who’s nursing a hip flexor problem. Overall, Farke is dealing “a few question marks” after last Friday’s comeback win over top-of-the-table rivals Leicester City.
Fresh Patrick Bamford injury worry
While none of the issues above sound particularly serious, there may still be concerns about Bamford running into more trouble. The Englishman has been in fantastic form recently, scoring six goals and providing two assists in his last 10 matches – including the game-sealing effort against the Foxes.
