Junior Firpo injury update drops as Leeds United shame emerges
Junior Firpo being forced off with a hamstring injury as Leeds United defeated Derby County 2-0 on Saturday is a “real shame”, Aidy White has said.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds (7 December, 12:51pm), former United star White expressed sympathy for the left-back, who was withdrawn 21 minutes into his 100th appearance for the club.
Daniel Farke wasn’t taking any risks and brought goalscorer Max Wober on for Firpo, later confirming that the 28-year-old’s hamstring issue will rule him out of their next game against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
In quotes shared via the BBC’s live match blog, White said: “Junior Firpo went immediately to his hamstring – he has been struggling, not joining in with attacks and looked uncomfortable.
“It’s a real shame, especially on his 100th appearance, but you can’t risk a hamstring injury.”
Daniel Farke made to regret Junior Firpo decision at Leeds United
Firpo was arguably the Whites’ biggest injury doubt heading into the match at Elland Road, having undergone quite the up-and-down season so far in his fourth campaign with the club.
The 28-year-old only recently returned from a three-match retrospective FA ban for a head-butt on Danny McNamara in Leeds’ 1-0 loss at Millwall last month, with Sam Byram often deputising.
With Byram injured and not named in the squad to face Derby though, Farke elected to give Firpo a starting chance despite doubts over his fitness and Wober an able deputy at left-back.
The Austrian coming on for Firpo and scoring barely 23 minutes later could prove to be the turning point in his United career, hopefully putting to bed any talk of a transfer in January [Salzburger Nachrichten, 30 November].
Firpo will surely remain Farke’s first choice on the left side of the Peacocks’ defence going forward, but with Wober finally hitting form, the German won’t be forced to rush him back next time around.
In other Leeds news, one forgotten United star could return to Elland Road in January thanks to a bizarre clause in his contract.
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