Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that he has injury concerns about the three Leeds United midfielders.
In comments reported by Leeds Live, Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that Mateusz Klich, Adam Forshaw and Pablo Hernandez are all doubts for Leeds’s trip to Middlesbrough this weekend due to injury.
The Whites face Boro hoping to get their promotion push back on track after being knocked off top spot in the Championship last Saturday. But they may have to deal with the loss of three of Bielsa’s stalwarts.
After confirming that both Forshaw and Klich have a knee problem and Hernandez has an injury in his groin, Bielsa went on to suggest that they could feature at the Riverside Stadium, but they have work to do to prove that they are ready to play.
“Not serious because they have the possibility to play,” he said, as reported by Leeds Live.
“But I never put a player who is in doubt on the pitch. I never push a player to play. I only put him in the team if he’s 100% available to play.”
It would be a big setback for Bielsa to lose all three men if they fail to prove their fitness. There has been some criticism of Leeds’s midfield since the turn of the year, but wholesale changes will not be ideal.
The problems should open the door for Kalvin Phillips to reprise his quarterback role. Phillips was surprisingly left out against Norwich having arguably been Leeds’ player of the season when deployed in that position. But Forshaw’s disappointing evening left many imploring Bielsa to make a change anyway.
Meanwhile, not having Hernandez available would put the pressure on the likes of Tyler Roberts, Jack Harrison and Jack Clarke. Like Klich and Forshaw, the Spaniard’s form has left some fans feeling that he needs a rest. But not having him in the side would leave Leeds without one of their most creative players against one of the most well-organised teams in the division.
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