Former Leeds United footballer Carlton Palmer has claimed that Patrick Bamford being out for what could be the remainder of the season is a massive blow for the club.
Bamford has been sidelined for the majority of the season, he has featured just nine times in the Premier League, whilst scoring twice. The English forward was partaking in his second start this calendar year against Wolves before he was forced off due to injury, which now means he is set to miss six weeks of action.
Leeds have struggled immensely this campaign and find themselves in a relegation battle as we head into the business end of the season, sitting just two places above the drop zone with eight games left to play in the Premier League.
Bamford’s absence could be a defining factor in Leeds’ survival hopes, and whilst talking to GiveMeSport, Palmer recognised this and highlighted the length of time that Bamford could be sidelined for.
He said: “It’s a bitter blow regarding Bamford because they didn’t rush him back. They took their time with him, and for him to pick up that injury against Wolves, 23 minutes into the game. If you’re talking about him being out for the next six games, he’s pretty much done for the season.”
TIF Thoughts on Carlton Palmer’s comments…
Bamford was a vital player for Marcelo Bielsa’s side last term, as he helped them achieve a top-10 finish in their first season back in the top flight. He chipped in with 24 goal contributions, had an average of 2.7 shots per game and only lost the ball 6.6 times per game, as per SofaScore.
It is not only Bamford that has been injured for large parts of the season for Leeds, but Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper are also other mainstays who have been sidelined for long periods due to injuries, so it could have been a different story for Leeds this season if they had their key men fit.
Although it is a huge blow for Leeds to be missing Bamford for the majority of the end of the season, Leeds are in decent form under new boss Jesse Marsch, having won their last two games, so if they continue this form, they should be able to survive relegation.