Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford is expected to return straight to the starting XI on Sunday in the clash against Aston Villa.
This has been suggested by the Leeds reporter Graham Smyth whilst speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast to discuss the striker’s injury issues.
The 29-year-old has struggled through injury this season which saw him miss games against Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion (via Transfermarkt).
However, he has slowly begun to make his return to Jesse Marsch’s side with cameo appearances from the bench in Leeds’ last two Premier League outings.
Given the Whites have now not played for almost one month, Smyth is under the expectation that Bamford should now be fit enough to make a return to the starting XI on Sunday at Elland Road:
“The really interesting one is Bamford, Rodrigo or Gelhardt? You know it was kind of Gelhardt out of necessity, because Rodrigo did his shoulder and because Bamford wasn’t fit enough for 90 minutes against Brentford.
“I think Bamford looked sharp enough against Southampton U21s, and he’s another two weeks on from that. I could see Bamford coming in for this game.”
TIF Thoughts on Smyth’s comments…
Bamford will certainly have welcomed the extended break in terms of his fitness with it offering him a good opportunity to return for the game on the weekend.
Do you expect Bamford to start on Sunday?
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He played 76 minutes for Leeds U21s against Southampton earlier in the month to gain some match fitness and he will have certainly picked up some confidence with a hat-trick against the Saints’ B team.
And given the Whites’ current top goalscorer, Rodrigo, is still an injury doubt, fans and Marsch alike will be hoping the break has benefitted Bamford enough to make a return and aim to break his Premier League drought on the weekend.