Leeds United: Daniel Farke confirms how long Willy Gnonto will miss in blow to promotion hopes
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has confirmed that Willy Gnonto and Connor Roberts will both be out for “two to three weeks”.
Both players were absent from Leeds’ matchday squad for Friday’s (29 March) Championship clash against Watford at Vicarage Road.
The pair picked up injuries while away with their national sides, as did Ilia Gruev, whose comeback timeframe is less clear.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the clash with Watford [29 March, 7:44pm], Farke said: “Willy will be out for two to three weeks.
“More or less the same for Roberts – two to three weeks. We have to wait, but there was no chance of then playing tonight.”
Leeds United’s April fixtures
Roberts has been used a lot from the substitutes’ bench since joining on loan from Burnley and will therefore be missed by Farke.
The loss of Gnonto is even bigger, though, as the Italian has played a massive part in this push for automatic promotion since the turn of the year.
Gnonto has seven goals in his past 11 outings, while also chipping in with an assist, after taking his chance with both hands after returning to the XI.
In the worst-case scenario, the 20-year-old will now miss United’s games with Watford, Hull City, Coventry City, Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers and possibly Middlesbrough.
This is a very busy period for the Whites, and being without Gnonto for those games is a massive blow for Farke.
Thankfully, the German has plenty of attacking options to call upon. Just like Gnonto did, it is now over to the back-ups to step up and prove they are undroppable once the Italian is back fit.
In other Leeds United news, Farke will soon be able to call upon Kalvin Phillips 2.0 at Elland Road.
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