Leeds United boss Javi Gracia admits that Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford starting at Chelsea is a ‘real option’. The Whites will travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
The Elland Road side are seeking back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since November. Gracia oversaw a 1-0 win over relegation rivals Southampton last week in his first fixture in charge. The win lifted the West Yorkshire natives up to 17th in the table.
Gracia started Bamford against the Saints and briefly partnered the forward with Rutter in the second half. The Spaniard introduced the latter from their bench on 75 minutes before Junior Firpo broke the deadlock. Marc Roca would later replace Bamford after 86 minutes.
Rutter is yet to start a Premier League fixture since his club-record £36m transfer from TSG Hoffenheim in January. The 20-year-old has come off the bench for each of his five outings so far. But he made a second start in the FA Cup during their defeat at Fulham on Tuesday.
Jesse Marsch also used Rutter in Leeds’ starting line-up at Accrington Stanley in the fourth round. Yet through 248 minutes of action across all competitions, the France U21 forward is yet to score. He is also yet to lay on an assist for the Elland Road club over seven games.
Gracia is open to Rutter and Bamford starting for Leeds at Chelsea
Gracia brought Bamford on as a direct replacement for Rutter as Leeds lost in west London to Fulham in the FA Cup. But he is open to the strikers starting together when they return to the capital. Leeds can also do the double over Chelsea after winning 3-0 back in August.
“It’s an option,” Gracia said, via the Yorkshire Evening Post. “A real option to play with two players up front. In this case, in the last game, I am happy with the way Georginio played.
“Speaking about [the] next game, I think it’s a good option for us to play with two players up front, with Georgi, Bamford, with all the attackers in the club.”
Gracia starting Bamford and Rutter for Leeds against Chelsea would be their third Premier League appearance together. Alongside their 11 minutes against Southampton, they also featured for 12 minutes at Everton under caretaker boss Michael Skubala in a 1-0 defeat.
Skubala introduced Rutter in search of an equaliser having started Bamford. The £10m ex-Middlesbrough marksman has started in nine of his 17 Premier League appearances so far this season. But the 29-year-old has only provided one goal, which he penned in January.
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