MOT View: Phil Hay says key Leeds star spotted ‘holding his groin’, injury would be catastrophic
Same old, same old. That was the overriding feeling while we were watching the Leeds United game on Sunday.
Domination. Possession. No end product. Two sucker punches.
There’s no need to panic though, mainly because of the other results going Leeds’ way. The gap is still seven points back to third and there’s one game less to play. That’s a decent result.
However, the Leeds squad is looking thin. Marcelo Bielsa has no natural striker to replace Patrick Bamford with. Tyler Roberts would be the man to come on but he was on the pitch in place of Pablo Hernandez on Sunday. It looks like Jean-Kevin Augustin won’t be playing again this season. Perhaps not ever.
Hernandez might be back for the Fulham game but if he’s only returning to training on Wednesday, he might miss out.
Either way, Roberts has become an absolutely key player for Leeds on this run-in.
And there was a very worrying sight on Sunday, as we saw the 21-year-old holding his groin at several times during the game.
Players are going to be more susceptible to injuries at the moment and Roberts has a history of not being able to put a big run of games together.
It wasn’t just us who noticed.
One Leeds season ticket holder took it up with Athletic journalist Phil Hay saying, “Little concerned about Roberts, noticed he pulled his groin during the game. He carried on but was holding it at times afterwards and he’s done it before and been out afterwards.”
Hay replied saying, “We’ll need to see about him. Did seem to be holding his groin after that challenge in the first half and was struggling with cramp towards the end.”
Hopefully it’s nothing. If Leeds lose Roberts on the back of Augustin, then Bielsa is going to have to dig deeper into his squad for attacking options.
A lot deeper. He’s never fancied Ryan Edmondson but he might have to give him a spot on the bench if Roberts is injured.
But, there are no two ways about it, losing Roberts at this point would be catastrophic.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Get rid’, ‘Don’t want to see him start again’ – Many Leeds fans blame one player for 2-0 defeat