Liam Cooper also looking at lengthy spell out amid new Leeds United injury crisis – Phil Hay
Liam Cooper is also set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines as well as Leeds United teammate Kalvin Phillips, according to Phil Hay.
Both players were substituted off as Leeds drew with Brentford on Sunday with Cooper, 30, lasting just 15 minutes before suffering a hamstring issue.
BBC Sport reports that Phillips, 26, is set for a “lengthy spell on the sidelines” and The Athletic journalist Hay said on Twitter on Wednesday morning that the case is the same for Cooper.
Yet another injury crisis
Can anyone remember the last time that Marcelo Bielsa had a fully fit squad to choose from?
Robin Koch is already out injured and Pascal Struijk missed the draw with Brentford due to a hip issue. It remains to be seen how fit they are ahead of playing Chelsea this Saturday but Phillips and Cooper look set to join them on the sidelines and Patrick Bamford also reportedly had an issue at the end of the Brentford draw [BBC Sport].
Leeds have had injury issues all season with players regularly missing games.
While Cooper is someone who attracts criticism from fans, to have the captain missing for a length of time is very concerning when he and Diego Llorente have started to form a better partnership lately.
If Struijk, Koch and Phillips are missing against Chelsea, then it means that Luke Ayling may have to play at centre-back or Charlie Cresswell gets called back into the first-team by Bielsa.
We’ll see how it pans out but this injury crisis keeps getting worse at every point it seems to be getting better.
In other Leeds United news, there’s a big chance for this Under-23s ace to step into the senior side.