Pierre-Michel Lasogga has been ruled out of Leeds United’s Championship clash against Barnsley on Saturday at Elland Road.
Manager Thomas Christiansen revealed at his weekly media briefing on Friday afternoon that the German striker will miss his third consecutive league fixture.
Mystery has surrounded Lasogga’s recent unavailability due to conflicting accounts from club personnel as to whether he is ill or injured.
BBC correspondent Adam Pope cited Christiansen on his personal Twitter account as saying that the forward, 25, was initially “sick” but subsequently suffered a leg injury in training.
TEAM NEWS: Pierre-Michel Lasogga will not play tomorrow at Barnsley. #lufc
— Adam Pope (@APOPEY) November 24, 2017
TC on Lasogga: “He was sick and since then has had a knock in training on his leg. He should be ok for Villa.” #lufc
— Adam Pope (@APOPEY) November 24, 2017
Christiansen is hopeful that Lasogga will be back for Leeds’ Championship fixture against Aston Villa on Friday of next week.
OPINION
Lasogga has been Leeds’ undisputed spearhead since completing a loan move from Hamburg at the end of August. He has started all 10 of his league matches and scored five goals but the break may well do him some good. Christiansen hinted that he was not entirely happy with Lasogga’s performances when he hauled him off at half-time against Brentford before the international break. The striker has not been seen since but he has had time to have a mental break following an intense introduction to English football. Kemar Roofe has done okay as the stand-in striker over the last two matches but Lasogga is still the senior of Leeds’ five main centre-forward options, who also include fit-again Ekuban and rookie duo Jay-Roy Grot and Pawel Cibicki. It is likely Roofe will start against Barnsley, unless the manager throws a curve ball and gives speed machine Ekuban a go.