Leeds United captain faces battle to make Newcastle United and Liverpool games.
The opening day of the season in August seems like a long time ago where Leeds United are concerned. They lost 3-0 at QPR, and fans were left desperate for the club to conclude a deal for defensive midfielder Liam Bridcutt.
The club obliged, a month or so later than would have been ideal, with the negotiations taking far longer than they should have.
Right now Leeds are flying high just a point off the play-offs, and Bridcutt is nowhere to be seen.
Liam Bridcutt Leeds United in action with Jack Payne of Huddersfield Town
The former Sunderland midfielder has been out injured since September 13, and has played in just four games for the Whites.
The first of these was a season changing win against Sheffield Wednesday, but losses to Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield calmed the hype over his impact, before he helped them to a win over Blackburn.
Matty Cash of Nottingham Forest in action with Liam Bridcutt of Leeds United
Ever since, Leeds have had to make do without him, and he will not be fit until at least after the international break, the Yorkshire Post reported last month.
Bridcutt faces a battle to make it back for the sellout home game against Newcastle United, and the EFL Cup tie away to Liverpool.
As the club captain, Leeds would prefer to have Bridcutt available, but it is a tribute to his stand-ins that he has not been missed in terms of results.
Eunan O’Kane signed on deadline day and took over the mantel of the experienced leader in midfield, with young guns Kalvin Phillips and Ronaldo Vieira blossoming.
Blackburn’s Martin Samuelsen and Leeds’ Eunan O’Kane in action
Leeds stand a better chance of coming out of the competitive fixtures with wins if Bridcutt played, but they are not likely to hold any fear without him.
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