By George Overhill

3rd Feb, 2023 | 1:37pm

Sonny Perkins joins Rodrigo as injured in FA Cup, five out - Early Leeds United team news vs Nottingham Forest

Leeds United will be without five players for the trip to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday after Rodrigo and Sonny Perkins were injured in the FA Cup, Jesse Marsch has revealed.

The club announced on Thursday (2 February) that the top scorer would be out for up to two months after ankle surgery following an issue picked up in the 3-1 win on 28 January.

Marsch says Perkins will also be out for about 10 days after picking up a problem in the same game, while longer-term absentees Stuart Dallas, Archie Gray and Adam Forshaw are all still out, but Patrick Bamford is in good shape now.

The manager said in his pre-match press conference (1.30pm): “Obviously we made the announcement on Rodri yesterday. Unfortunately he picked up an injury at the end of the match that’ll keep him out for probably six to eight weeks.

“Adam we’re building up but not quite ready yet. Archie almost back in training. Stuart making really good progress. And Sonny Perkins also picked up a 10-day ankle injury in the match against Accrington so he won’t be ready for this match either.”

Marsch confirmed that all other players who have been out recently are back in training and available.

Get going

The January window is closed and the club definitely strengthened with the three first-team players that came in, so now is the time to start putting everything together in a tangible way.

All the talk about a strong window is worth nothing if the plans on paper fall apart on the pitch, and while performances haven’t been awful lately, it is points that the club needs.

For all the positivity that the January arrivals have understandably brought Leeds United are still only a point outside the relegation zone.

They do have a game in hand of course, but a club doesn’t break they transfer record midseason to be scrapping against the drop.

The ambition that has been shown in recent weeks is clearly geared towards consolidating the Whites’ position in the Premier League and pushing into mid table at least.

Forest are a prime example of the sort of side that Leeds should be expecting to get three points from but so often don’t, so while it won’t be a stroll either way, doing that on Sunday (5 February) would be the perfect start after the deadline.

In other Leeds United news, the club held talks with three Premier League rivals about selling a first-team player on deadline day.