It looks like Leeds United’s Pontus Jansson is fit this weekend – and it’s a big boost for the Whites.
Marcelo Bielsa confirmed on Thursday that Pontus Jansson was set for a return to action when Leeds United visit Sheffield United on Saturday.
The influential centre-back has missed Leeds’ last two games with a foot injury sustained in the 4-1 demolition by West Brom before the international break.
Bielsa’s side survived both games – two narrow wins over Bristol City and Reading – but the Blades represent a much bigger test and Jansson’s return is massive.
If the Swede was not fit then Bielsa would have had to turn to Aapo Halme, who made his Whites debut six days ago, or used Kalvin Phillips as a makeshift centre-back again.
Problem is, one of them would’ve come up against Billy Sharp who, simply put, could have potentially made them look silly.
The Sheffield United hitman has 10 goals in 14 games and has proven a handful for better centre-halves than Halme and Phillips this season, so one of them lining up alongside Liam Cooper in central defence might’ve been rather ominous.
Even Jansson, Leeds’ best centre-back, might struggle against the wily marksman, but he has a much better chance of containing Sharp than Halme or Phillips.
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