Paul Robinson: ‘Massive blow’ for Leeds United with Llorente ruled out v Newcastle
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United.
Leeds United have suffered a “massive blow” with Diego Llorente being unable to play against Newcastle United on Friday, according to Paul Robinson.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, as quoted by LeedsLive, Marcelo Bielsa shared Leeds’ team news and confirmed that Llorente, Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk are unavailable.
Llorente and Koch are both struggling with injuries with Struijk will serve the first game of his three-match ban for his red card last weekend.
Llorente’s had a stop-start first year at Elland Road with the Spain centre-back suffering multiple injury setbacks.
He played just 15 times in the Premier League last season and has only managed to amass just 98 minutes in his two outings this term against Everton and Liverpool.
Robinson worries about Leeds’ defensive capabilities without the ex-Real Sociedad man, who’s looked a class above the other centre-backs at Elland Road since moving to Yorkshire last year.
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Robinson said: “Llorente’s injury is the big one, isn’t it?
“He’d only just come back and he seems to be very injury prone, which is unfortunate because at the end of last season, a lot of their defensive stability was down to him playing every week.
“It’s no coincidence that as soon as he’s fit, he plays but now he’s obviously injured again.
“It’ll be a massive blow for them.”
Liam Cooper is the only available senior centre-back to play against Newcastle so he could be joined by Luke Ayling in the heart of the defence and either Jamie Shackleton or Stuart Dallas playing at right-back.
It’s not ideal but at least these issues are against a team who are in a crisis at the moment and are also winless in the Premier League.
In other Leeds United news, this teenager broke an EFL record for Leeds this week after a video clip caught him doing something incredible.