Bielsa confirms major Leeds fitness boost but Rodrigo ruled out with injury v Liverpool
Marcelo Bielsa has delivered a big Leeds United fitness update ahead of the huge Premier League clash with Liverpool on Monday night.
Liam Cooper is definitely out of the game after getting a three-game ban for violent conduct.
Rodrigo was missing from the Man City game with a muscular injury and Raphinha went off late on after a heavy and very cynical challenge from Fernandinho.
Talking from Thorp Arch, Bielsa said that Rodrigo was definitely ruled out while Raphinha would face a late fitness test.
However, in a major boost, he confirmed that Adam Forshaw would play between 30 and 60 minutes for the Under-23s in their potentially title-winning game against Aston Villa on Friday.
No one likes us
Leeds seem to perform best when they’re not given a chance.
We should have got a draw in the first game of the season against Liverpool.
We then hosted Man City and took a point in a thrilling 1-1 draw.
Then we took all three points against Pep’s league leaders despite being down to 10 men for over half of the game.
Can we put a big dent in the top-four hopes of Liverpool when they visit Elland Road on Monday? Without Rodrigo, Cooper and probably Raphinha as well?
If we do take all three points then we’d only be four points behind the Premier League champions.
We could also take a leap up the table and really start threatening the Europa League places.
That would be an achievement way beyond anything the players or Bielsa would have thought possible in the first year back in the top-flight.
We’re also thrilled to have Forshaw back in competitive action and it seems fitting that he’s coming back for such a big game – where just one point will see the Under-23s promoted to the top-flight of Premier League 2.
In other Leeds United news, Reliable website leaks new Leeds United 21/22 away kit with ‘electricity’ yellow detail