Phil Hay: Leeds United may leave Patrick Bamford at home and save him for Aston Villa and Norwich games
Phil Hay has insisted that Leeds United may save Patrick Bamford by leaving him out against Leicester this afternoon.
The England international returned to training this week but is not yet at 100% with a place on the bench mooted by Jesse Marsch.
Hay has shared that the Whites may rest him completely, saving the striker for games against Aston Villa and Norwich at Elland Road.
Writing in his pre-match Q&A for The Athletic this morning (5 March), Hay shared the latest on our number nine.
“There’s a chance Patrick Bamford could be on the bench, although it’s possible that Leeds will hold him back for the Villa and Norwich games next week,” he wrote.
“Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips are still out but, according to Marsch, doing well. Diego Llorente has had hamstring issues and is a doubt.”
Damage limitation.
Bamford will be chomping at the bit to get back out there and making a difference for his teammates in the Premier League.
He will also have his last return against Brentford in the back of his head, where he may have pushed himself too far, too quickly.
If we could get 10 minutes out of Bamford today, or saving him means we can get a start out of him next week, the answer is obvious.
Dan James, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts and Joe Gelhardt could all be fighting for two central striker roles in a new system, and that should be more than enough.
Leicester have big injury issues in their defence, and it is down to those four to take advantage of that today and not force the issue on Bamford if he is in the squad.
In other Leeds United news, Jeff Stelling has shared what he has been told about the injury blow to Patrick Bamford over the past week