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Bielsa delivers double fitness boost for Leeds, key first-team star back ahead of schedule
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa delivered some positive team news from his pre-match press conference (live in the LUFC app, Thursday, 12.30pm) on Thursday afternoon.
He revealed that both Liam Cooper and Jamie Shackleton are available for selection for Saturday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday – and it’s possible both come straight back into the starting line-up.
Cooper has come back way ahead of schedule after Leeds announced that he could be out for up to six weeks at the start of October.
Just three weeks later and he’s back and it’s very likely that he will come straight in and replace Gaetano Berardi on Saturday unless Bielsa is still not convinced he’s 100% fit.
Jamie Shackleton could come in for Stuart Dallas. That would be harsh on Dallas, who has played brilliantly this season, mainly at right-back.
However, he’s not as strong in midfield and Shackleton will have a strong case for inclusion.
The bad news is that Pablo Hernandez and Adam Forshaw are still out. Hernandez is “close” with a hamstring issue, which is good news in itself. He could have been out for longer with that sort of injury.
Forshaw has a groin issue and Bielsa paid tribute to the player who he described as a “big miss”. He said his ability to attack and defend meant he was a very valuable player for Leeds.
In other Leeds news, this much criticised Leeds 22y/o is coming good just when it matters