MOT View: Bielsa must unleash Leeds 21y/o sensation v Spurs after major new injury blow
Mateusz Klich has been an ever-present for Leeds United since Marcelo Bielsa came in.
The 30-year-old has played in 107/108 league games since Bielsa took over, missing only the ‘hangover’ game against Derby last season when the Championship was won.
However, he may well miss the game against Tottenham on Saturday.
He picked up an injury in the 5-0 win against West Brom and was subbed off after 58 minutes.
Talking after the game Bielsa confirmed Klich had picked up a thigh injury but said he didn’t know how long he would be out for.
“He received a knock to his thigh and this didn’t allow him to continue, but this hasn’t been evaluated just yet,” Bielsa said, as quoted by Leeds Live.
There’s been no update this week, with no pre-match press conference ahead of the game on Saturday lunchtime.
However, given the news, we have to assume that Klich will be missing. Bielsa won’t want to risk such an important player.
If that is the case, then Bielsa must unleash 21-year-old Jamie Shackleton for just his second Premier League start.
After excelling against Aston Villa, he’s looked excellent in his last two outings, with a 6.47 rating from WhoScored for his 32 minutes against West Brom.
Tidy on the ball and ultra-reliable, Shackleton is a Bielsa sort of player.
And he contributed brilliantly to the Raphinha goal in the 5-0 win, showing his vision with a Dallas one-two before the winger fired the ball into the top corner of the net.
He’s struggled for regular starts but with Klich out, we think Bielsa simply must turn to the young sensation against Tottenham.
That will be his biggest Leeds test to date but we’re sure he’ll be up to the task.
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