OPINION
Marcelo Bielsa is a manager who likes to play the same group of players week in, week out.
Where possible he’s started the same XI players but he’s set to be forced into a change for Saturday’s game against Brentford at Elland Road.
Barry Douglas was forced off towards the end of last night’s win against Hull City, and manager Marcelo Bielsa said that it was muscular and that he didn’t know how serious it was.
Phil Hay, senior journalist at the Yorkshire Evening Post, said today that the club was assessing him today and would find out the extent of the injury tomorrow.
However, he added that he would be “surprised” if he was fit for Saturday’s game.
After last night’s 1-0 win put them back on top of the table, albeit on goal difference, another win against Brentford would take them to the international break in fine fettle.
Pablo Hernandez, Kemar Roofe and Gaetano Berardi are all expected to be back for the Blackburn game after the break.
Douglas might well replace them on the injured list but left-back is actually one position they’re well covered in.
Tom Pearce made the step up from the Under-23s last season and put in some very good performances for Leeds.
He is set to get another massive chance to show what he can do in the first-team for the first time in the league this season under Bielsa.
He’ll know that if he plays brilliantly, that he’s got a good chance of seeing more first-team action, even when Douglas comes back.
Bielsa has shown with Patrick Bamford – also injured now – that big names and big-money signings don’t automatically get you a place in his team. Form does.
Pearce will get his shot on Saturday and must make the most of it.