Leeds United vs Leicester City: Surprise Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt updates emerge at Elland Road
Patrick Bamford is with the Leeds United squad to face Leicester City at Elland Road tonight, according to Graham Smyth.
The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist reported via Twitter ahead of kick off on 23 February that the Whites striker was in attendance for the huge clash between the Championship’s top two.
Leeds Lives’ Beren Cross added that Jaidon Anthony was also involved, but Joe Gelhardt is an unexpected absentee.
Bamford, 30, has been injured since the win over Rotherham United on 10 February and wasn’t expected to be in the squad for this game, after Daniel Farke’s 21 February update on the striker’s return to training, while Anthony had missed the win at Plymouth Argyle last week for personal reasons and was due back.
Gelhardt’s absence, along with keeper Dani van den Heuvel, was not tipped by the manager ahead of the game.
Patrick Bamford with Leeds United squad as Joe Gelhardt missing
Bamford’s injury came at the worst time for him after some stunning form since the start of 2024, as he had scored four and assisted two in his first six starts of the season.
Having spent two years fighting his way back from repeated fitness issues it looked like more of the same, so his surprise presence tonight is a bonus.
Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter provide plenty of Leeds United firepower themselves, but for such a big game it helps to have as many in-form players available as possible.
The fact that Gelhardt is missing is yet another unwelcome development for the 21-year-old, whose exciting emergence into the first-team picture in recent seasons has given way to very little as successive managers have now overlooked him.
It may be a bridge to far to reel in the Foxes, nine points clear at the top of the table, this late in the season, but if Farke is going to have any chance of a third Championship title this term he likely needs to get another win over Enzo Maresca to complete a double against the leaders.
In other Leeds United news, a former Elland Road chief is intent on raiding the club for a key signing.
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