Here are your Leeds United evening headlines on Sunday, December 11.
Ex-Leeds United man sends 'massive' message to Patrick Bamford after surgery
Former Leeds United striker and current coach Noel Whelan has said it'll be a 'massive bonus' for Jesse Marsch's side when Patrick Bamford returns fully fit.
The 29-year-old underwent groin surgery last week, meaning he missed out on the side's training camp in Spain - although the surgery is believed to be a minor one.
The procedure is believed to have worked, with Bamford now in rehabilitation and hoping to return to training later this month but is unlikely to be back for the Boxing Day clash against Manchester City, having played only 427 minutes of football this season.
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Of course, Bamford has been so key for Leeds over the past few seasons but some, including former Leeds man Paul Robinson, have called for Bamford to be replaced in the January transfer market.
But if he comes back fully fit after this surgery, the 29-year-old could return to his old goal-scoring ways Whelan claims as he spoke to Football Insider.
"Hopefully Bamford has got these little niggles out the way. He has been out of action for nearly a full season now, he has come back within spurts and then picked up another niggly injury.
"I think this period of the World Cup has hopefully given them time to rectify all of these and get him to a place where he is good in his mind and body and participate between now and the end of the season.
"He is a very important cog, there is no centre-forward that can lead the line like he does. We need options and having Bamford back for the rest of the season will be a massive bonus for Leeds United.
"Then hopefully you do not need to look at spending in the January window and can wait until the summer to bring in another centre-forward because they do need options down the middle."
Rodrigo highlights Jesse Marsch's Leeds United winter break 'corrections' in Spain training camp
It's been something of an up-and-down season for Leeds United so far. After the highs of a 3-0 demolition of Chelsea at Elland Road, the Whites would have to wait over two months for their next taste of victory.
But despite that, striker Rodrigo has been in top form for them this season despite missing three weeks due to a shoulder injury sustained against Everton. The Spaniard now has nine goals this term, including five in their last four league games before the winter break.
Now head coach Jesse Marsch and the squad have taken the chance to reset properly during their training camp in Spain and improve going into what many are seeing as a proper 'second-half' of the season rather than a metaphorical one.
Man City granted huge World Cup boost in preparation for Leeds United Premier League return
While Leeds United have been working on their own training camp out in Spain during the winter break and the ongoing World Cup in preparation for their Premier League return against Manchester City on December 28, their opponents haven't had such a luxury.
A majority of Pep Guardiola's side have been in Qatar for nearly a month now but after another round of World Cup action, only one Manchester City star remains in the tournament after Portugal, England and the Netherlands were all knocked out in the quarter-final stage.
Sixteen senior team players from the Citizens arrived in Qatar - the most of any European side bar Bayern Munich - in mid-November to begin their campaigns but Julian Alvarez is the sole survivor from the squad as he and Lionel Messi try to win Argentina's first World Cup since 1986.
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