Phil Hay includes Luke Ayling in predicted Leeds United defence v Arsenal
Phil Hay has included Luke Ayling in his predicted Leeds United defence against Arsenal on Saturday evening.
The Whites have been ravaged by injuries, and rumours have started to go wild that the right-back is also out with an illness.
Given the spike in positive COVID findings going through the Premier League, it would be no surprise if that was the case.
Writing in his pre-match Q&A for The Athletic, Hay has included Ayling, though, meaning that the whispers remain unconfirmed so far.
Robin Koch is also back available, but it looks as though his match fitness isn’t there to warrant a start despite our problems.
“Koch is ready in the sense that he’s over his injury but he’s not properly match-fit,” he wrote.
“It might be that Bielsa does something like Drameh, Llorente, Ayling, Dallas at the back.”
Everything crossed.
The last thing any of us need right now is for Ayling to be ill.
Marcelo Bielsa must be pulling his hair out at the problems ravaging through his squad as Jamie Shackleton and Dan James added to those problems against Manchester City.
The Whites don’t even have 11 senior fit players as it is, so adding Ayling to that list through illness would just be about our luck.
It would make things interesting if it was a positive COVID case though, as added to our injuries, postponing this would surely be the only option.
As Bielsa said though, we would rather play and create a cauldron for Arsenal to walk into, no matter the level of opposition they will be facing.
Clearly, nothing official has been confirmed regarding the status of Ayling at this moment in time, and until it does, we can assume he is available.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are ready to make major January signings with unexpected deals to force action