Leeds United have hardly been able to catch a break this season, especially when it comes to injuries.
During yesterday's Premier League fixture between the Whites and Manchester United, centre-back turned defensive midfielder Robin Koch became Leeds' latest enforced substitution.
Koch had to be withdrawn following a clash of heads with Man United's Scott McTominay during the first half.
Initially the German international was able to carry on, with a heavily bandaged head and fresh kit, but minutes later, the 25-year-old succumbed to the effects of what was a full-throttle head injury.
Marcelo Bielsa said in his post-match press conference the decision to withdraw Koch was due to the cut on his head, rather than the suspected concussion he may have suffered.
Either way, Leeds were forced to reshuffle their pack, which somewhat disrupted the rhythm of their promising first-half display at Elland Road.
It most likely leaves Marcelo Bielsa with one less defensive option in midweek to face Liverpool at Anfield.
The rescheduled fixture, originally set to have been played on Boxing Day last year, has been sandwiched between tricky home matches against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
While Leeds' injury issues momentarily deepen, there is the possibility the Whites could lose a peripheral defensive player on a permanent deal this summer.
Left-back Leif Davis has spent the season on loan at promotion-chasing AFC Bournemouth in the Championship.
Scott Parker is currently the Cherries' manager and has been speaking about Davis' progress, intermittent game-time and the possibility of a permanent stay with sister site DorsetLive.
"I've seen someone grow a lot, not in terms of his technical game, but in his mentality and in his mindset," Parker said. "He is a young boy who has probably never been in and around it consistently at first team level, and the demands and the pressures which come with first team football. I think Leif will be the first to say that he struggled early on with that."
"But fair play to him. If there is one thing that he has shown is big character. He has done extremely well. It is probably very harsh for him not to be in the starting team at the moment. The gap between him, Jordan Zemura and the others who could play there, is a lot more closer to be fair.
"Full credit to Leif. I have big praise for him, he has done very well."
Davis has been in and out of the Bournemouth side lately, after initially finding it difficult to break into the team.
Since the beginning of December, he has made five starts at left-back, as well as a handful of substitute appearances.
It is understood there is an option-to-buy included in Davis' loan deal on the south coast, which Bournemouth may well exercise.
"It's possible. I think it is possible. I think there is [an option-to-buy]," Parker told DorsetLive. "I don't know the full details of the agreement we have.
"Obviously at this moment it is a loan, but of course, the way Leif is going on the upturn - he's doing everything right at this present moment in time."
Bournemouth are currently second in the Championship table, chasing automatic promotion, with games in hand on teams around them and a real chance of returning to the top flight.
