David Prutton worried over Leeds injuries as Raphinha limps off
David Prutton has been left biting his nails as Leeds United watch their injury list grow in the Premier League.
Numerous defensive players are already missing at Elland Road, and Raphinha could join them after limping off in the 1-1 draw v Newcastle.
Sky Sports pundit, Prutton admitted that the Premier League can be “brutal” and the Whites are finding that out yet again.
Writing in his Yorkshire Evening Post column, Prutton was clearly worried over the extent of these injury worries.
“Leeds have made some good additions but the lads who have done the majority of the ‘donkey work’ for the last three or four seasons have been relied upon heavily,” he wrote.
“I am sure that they see that as a challenge but this is the Premier League and we all know how unbelievably brutal it can be.
“You have got to look at key players who are out and Raphinha then coming off with what Marcelo said was a hip issue.”
Big issue.
If the defence wasn’t a big enough worry, adding the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison in the final third is damaging.
Luke Ayling is our makeshift centre-half, and you could see the cogs ticking in Marcelo Bielsa’s mind as he was forced from the field against Newcastle.
It looks as though the under-23s are going to be heavily relied on in the Carabao Cup against Fulham on Tuesday.
Hopefully, that prolonged break for some of our first-team stars can give them enough of a rest to return for the West Ham clash on Saturday.
If not, we are in big trouble.
We’re talking about an absence list that includes Ayling, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk, Raphinha and Harrison.
That is half of our first team and a real issue.
It is no wonder that Prutton is visibly biting his nails, and most of us will be as the week continues – fingers crossed for good news.
In other Leeds United news, Jeff Stelling launches Whites debate live on Sky, Kris Boyd responds after being ‘ridiculed’