Phil Hay shares Stuart Dallas team news update as Leeds United star spotted at Bournemouth
Stuart Dallas isn’t fit to feature in the match-day squad for Leeds United despite making the trip to Bournemouth, as he has been out for a full year, Phil Hay reports.
The Northern Irishman hasn’t played all season after breaking his leg at the end of last season’s relegation battle, but was a surprise sighting ahead of kick off on the south coast when the Whites arrived at the Vitality Stadium.
It is exactly a year to the day since the Leeds United utility player suffered the major injury in a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City at Elland Road, and it is still too soon for him to yet be ready to take a place even on the bench.
In his Q&A on The Athletic Hay reacted to the team news, saying: “And there we have it…Willy Gnonto starts.
“Max Wober is fit but only for the bench. Looks like [Javi] Gracia might be going three at the back because there’s no left-back in the XI but we’ll see once Leeds line up.
“Stuart Dallas made the trip to the coast but isn’t in the 20. He’s missed a full calendar year since his injury.”
Familiar face
How Leeds fans would have wished they had Dallas available this season, with the team’s fortunes once again far from joyous and the defence again an issue.
It was a turn up to even see the 32-year-old arrive with the team so it would have been a major shock if he had played a part in what is sure to be a crucial 90 minutes in the relegation battle.
With Junior Firpo left on the bench and the inconsistent Rasmus Kristensen back in the line up there is obviously a gap for someone like Dallas to fill.
Whether that is going to be in the Premier League or the Championship next season hangs in the balance, but it is an encouraging sign that he is back in the fold in some way on match day.
Finally, at long, long last Gracia has brought Gnonto back into the XI after Luis Sinisterra was ruled out for the rest of the campaign, but it is unfortunate that Wober isn’t fit enough to start.
So there are positives and negatives in the build up to this crucial clash against Gary O’Neil’s men and Dallas will have to watch on as he has all season and hope his teammates can do the job this time.
In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports pundit has ripped into an “embarrassing” situation at Elland Road after what he has seen.