Bielsa delivers Leeds fitness update for clash v Chelsea
Marcelo Bielsa has delivered a big Leeds United team update ahead of the Premier League game against Chelsea on Saturday.
Pascal Struijk and Pablo Hernandez are still out with injury but Jamie Shackleton is back.
There are no issues with Kalvin Phillips and Rodrigo, and Leeds have been handed a huge boost with the news that Robin Koch could play for the Under-23s on Monday.
He’s been out since the start of December but will now be looking to get back in the first-team as soon as possible, with one eye on the Euros with Germany.
Leeds welcome high-flying Chelsea to Elland Road minus Frank Lampard and with Thomas Tuchel in the dugout.
He’s revitalised the Chelsea side and aiming strongly for a Champions League finish.
Leeds are in a slump with four defeats in the last five games.
Bielsa was talking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.
The game is being shown live on BT Sport.
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Before we went on our current run of four defeats in five, we’d have called this game a free hit.
Now we really need to get something from either this game or the Fulham match the following Friday or fans will start to get worried.
There’s still no clear danger of relegation.
Leeds would likely have to lose all their games between now and the end of the season to go down but some fans are already getting a bit jittery.
This game might not help.
The bookies don’t give Leeds much of a chance in this game.
Chelsea are odds-on to complete the double over Leeds at 7/10, while the home side is 3/1 for the win.
We’ve cracked bigger odds than that before, though, and with Kalvin Phillips and Rodrigo back from injury, we think we’ve got a chance of springing a shock.
In other Leeds United news, Emma Jones belts out brilliant new Raphinha song in front of Leeds striker Bamford