Leeds United to keep fingers crossed after positive Gabriel Gudmundsson scenes for Sweden
Leeds United will be hoping that Gabriel Gudmundsson has a positive international break while away with Sweden.
The left-wing back has established himself as a key player in Daniel Farke's setup since arriving at Elland Road last summer.
The 27-year-old had a delayed return to action for the Whites this season, only making his first competitive appearance against Brighton at the start of the month.
Gudmundsson now has cover behind him after the addition of Melvin Bard, but it's clear to see who Farke's number one choice is.
The Sweden international was called up for his nation as they embark on their UEFA Nations League journey over the break.
Gudmundsson featured in Sweden's 2-1 win over Romania on Friday, but Leeds will be hoping that history does not repeat itself.
Why Leeds have Gabriel Gudmundsson positivity after Sweden win
Gudmundsson played the entire 90 minutes in his first game back for Leeds in the 1-1 draw with Brighton.
He was then rested in the Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea before starting against Newcastle United and Crystal Palace ahead of the three-week break.
Sweden played the first of four Nations League matches on Friday, with games against Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a return fixture against Romania yet to come.
Hull City's Elliot Stroud started ahead of Gudmundsson, but the latter came on for the final six minutes of the contest.
Gudmundsson previously injured his knee with Sweden in March, and has had fitness issues of his own with the Whites.
Farke demands a lot from the wing-back, but the German head coach will be praying that his key man stays fit while away with his country.
It's a positive sign for Gudmundsson, who may not play in all of Sweden's games, reducing the risk of getting injured once again while away from Elland Road
There's nothing more frustrating for fans than seeing top players sustain fitness setbacks on international duty, especially in a competition like the Nations League.
How capable is Melvin Bard as a replacement for Gudmundsson?
Gudmundsson's return to fitness for Leeds has since seen Bard drop back to the bench after the latter joined on loan from OGC Nice.
Bard has started just one competitive match for the Whites, but conceded four goals against Chelsea before being taken off.
His Premier League debut came in the 4-1 win over Newcastle, but Jean-Matteo Bahoya was used ahead of him after Farke brought the winger on to replace Gudmundsson in the 0-0 draw to Palace.
Bard's stats for Nice suggest that he can hold his own in the Premier League, but the Elland Road faithful haven't seen enough of him yet to judge whether he is quality cover for Gudmundsson.
For now, it's fingers crossed that Gudmundsson can remain injury-free while on international duty, as Sweden's first victory is hopefully a good sign of things to come for Leeds.