Four senior Leeds United players have been ruled out of tomorrow’s (Saturday) Championship clash against Birmingham, it has been confirmed.
Marcelo Bielsa revealed at his media briefing on Thursday night, as quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Phil Hay, that injured quartet Pablo Hernandez, Kemar Roofe, Gaetano Berardi and Jamie Shackleton are “all still absent”.
None of the injured crop will be back on Saturday. Berardi, Roofe, Hernandez, Shackleton all still absent. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) September 20, 2018
They will once again join long-term absentee Patrick Bamford on the sidelines for a third consecutive match.
OPINION
Leeds coped impressively without the quintet against Preston in midweek, brushing aside the team who knocked them out of the League Cup just a few weeks previously. Given the thin squad at Marcelo Bielsa’s disposals and the rookies catapulted into the starting XI, such as Tyler Roberts and Jack Harrison, it was wonderfully accomplished stuff. Had Hernandez, Berardi and Roofe been fit, they would all have started, just as they would at Millwall last weekend. Had Bamford been available, he would have replaced Roofe. Coping without so many key players over an extended period is extremely difficult and, at least, United will have a six-day break between fixtures following the fixture against Birmingham. That should allow opportunity for Roofe, Berardi and Shackleton to return for the televised derby against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday of next week.