Mark Smith

Tue 5 October 2021 15:15, UK

Beren Cross has predicted that it would take an extraordinary turn of events for Joe Gelhardt to start for Leeds United in the Premier League.

The young attacker has enjoyed a marvellous month, earning his first-team debut off the bench at Fulham and scoring numerous wonder goals for the under-23s.

Despite that, Marcelo Bielsa is yet to use him off the bench in the Premier League and that may drag on even further.

Writing in a Q&A for Leeds Live, Cross has suggested that it may take three, possibly even four injuries to happen at the same time.

“I really can’t see Gelhardt getting a run in the team unless Bamford, Rodrigo and maybe even Roberts are all unavailable at the same time,” he said.

“Even then. Harrison would probably start ahead of Gelhardt in attack.”

Extraordinary.

This seems crazy, but it certainly looks as though it will be the case.

Doors may be opened more when Bamford returns, given that Rodrigo will drop into his playmaker role behind the England international.

All Gelhardt can do is continue shining under Mark Jackson, and Bielsa will find it eventually hard to ignore, especially given the calibre of goals he is scoring at this moment in time.

No one else can do that at Leeds as consistently as he can, and that also counts the first team, those two goals at Liverpool were simply out of this world.

Suggesting Jack Harrison would start up top over Gelhardt at this stage is probably a step too far, that would have been the case last season should a crisis have occured.

We hope this isn’t the case, but the former Wigan sensation may have to wait even longer for his chance in the Premier League.

In other Leeds United news, Graham Smyth shares if Kalvin Phillips will miss PL games after England injury withdrawal