Michael Dawson feels no side deserves a break more than Leeds ahead of hosting Arsenal, after the Premier League postponed Aston Villa’s match with Burnley for rising covid cases.
Aston Villa announced just over two-hours before kick-off that their match would now take place at a later date. The Birmingham outfit carried out PCR tests on Friday, which returned a raft of positive cases among their playing squad.
The Premier League decided the game could not take place after considering the number of players unavailable through covid, injuries or illness. It is the sixth top-flight match this weekend to be postponed, with Leeds now one of just eight teams playing.
Leeds could be without a swarm of vital first-team players when they host Arsenal at Elland Road, however. Kalvin Phillips (shoulder), Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford (hamstring), Pascal Struijk (foot), Rodrigo (heel), Jamie Shackleton (Achilles) and Dan James (Adductor) are out.
Junior Firpo is also unavailable for Marcelo Bielsa to select with the full-back suspended for five yellow cards this season. The Whites will be anxious that Raphinha, Diego Llorente and Tyler Roberts are not cautioned against the Gunners, with each one away from a ban.
Dawson feels sorry for Leeds injury crisis ahead of Arsenal clash
The Yorkshire Evening Post note Leeds will host Arsenal with just 10 proven senior players available for Bielsa to select. Yet their match on Saturday evening is scheduled to go ahead.
Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Dawson feels sorry for the White’s situation as other games are postponed. He said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday (18/12, 13:08):
“There must be more than one or two [positive covid cases for a game to be called off], there has to be. Look at Leeds, Arsenal-Leeds this afternoon.
“I look at Leeds’ squad list that are injured, if there’s any team that needs a game off, it’s Leeds. The list goes on, seven, eight [players are out].
“So, there has to be more than two or three covid positive tests in a changing room and a team to get it cancelled.”
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