Javi Gracia will still be without a number of first-team players for Leeds United's Premier League clash with Chelsea, as Luis Sinisterra, Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper and Max Wober remain doubts for the game.
Gracia will be looking to follow up Saturday afternoon's victory over Southampton with a repeat performance against the Blues to record successive top-flight wins. Another trip to the capital awaits the Whites, with their midweek defeat to Fulham punctuating their main focus of battling against relegation.
Ahead of kick-off, there are a few injury concerns heading into the game with seven first-team members absent from the loss at Craven Cottage on Tuesday evening. Adam Forshaw, Stuart Dallas and Rodrigo will not recover from their long-term injuries in time for the game, but questions remain over Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk, Luis Sinisterra and Max Wober.
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With that in mind, we have looked at the squad's current injury list ahead of Saturday afternoon's clash with Chelsea in the Premier League.
Max Wober
It is highly possible that Gracia was resting Wober during the midweek Fulham clash, yet eyebrows were raised when the Spaniard did not include the defender in the entire matchday squad.
What Gracia said (March 2): "Don't worry they are in the best hands to recover as soon as possible. I don't like to speak about injured players because some of them, to be honest, I don't know if they are going to be ready or not. The main reason though [for a lack of update] is that I don't want to speak about injured players."
Potential return date: March 4 vs Chelsea
Luis Sinisterra
Sinisterra came off in the first-half of the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford last month and the Colombian was absent from the squad for the 2-0 defeat to Fulham in the FA Cup.
What Skubala said (February 16): "He [Sinisterra] had a pulled muscle. He is on his way back, a bit further away than Liam [Cooper] and Marc [Roca], but he is progressing nicely."
Potential return date: March 4 vs Chelsea
Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk
Struijk was also forced off shortly after Sinisterra at Old Trafford as the defender took a fierce Marcus Rashford shot to the face, suffering a concussion in the process.
And Cooper, who was absent alongside Struijk for the defeat against the Cottagers, .
What Gracia said (March 2): "To be honest, I don't know if they are going to be ready or not. The main reason though [for a lack of update] is that I don't want to speak about injured players."
Potential return date: March 4 vs Chelsea
Rodrigo
Rodrigo picked up a knock late into Leeds United's FA Cup win at Accrington Stanley. With scans showing bone and ligament damage at the joint, Rodrigo has undergone minor surgery to rectify the issue.
What Rodrigo said (February 22): “I expect to be back before the international break. When I got the injury, they said probably I will be back just after the international break, but things are progressing better than we always expected.
“I hope I can be available for the games before the international break, but let's see. We can’t confirm because it depends on my progression from now to the next two or three weeks, but if I keep this progression, I think I will be available before [the break].
Potential return date: April 1 vs Arsenal
Sonny Perkins
Perkins also picked up an injury during the win over Accrington Stanley and there has been no further word on his expected recovery time.
What Skubala said (February 16): "We've got Sonny Perkins back on the pitch, which is nice to see. So yeah, we're slowly getting some strength back in the squad which is really pleasing."
Potential return date: March 4 vs Chelsea
Adam Forshaw
After his run of consistent first-team appearances over the winter break, Forshaw suffered a hip problem that has seen him out for the start of the year and will be on the sidelines for a little while longer.
What Marsch said (Jan 20): “It was more of a procedure. He had an injection to help fortify things. He's had a lot of visits to the doctor to figure out why this keeps happening and one of the things is just strengthening the area.
"And so it's about making sure we're not putting him in a situation where it's not cyclical and he's battling all the time to get out on the pitch. It's about making sure getting him to a strong place to get him back to his best."
Potential return date: Unknown
Stuart Dallas
Dallas went to Spain to complete rehab work as he continues his recovery from a fractured femur he suffered against Manchester City in April last year. He was, however, forced to undergo a second surgery to 'clean some things up'.
What Marsch said (Jan 22): " 'Stuart had a follow-up operation, too, because they thought they had a little bit of an infection, so they just cleaned that out, but he's back and feeling good.'
Potential return date: Unknown
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