Leeds United team news for Brentford - Marcelo Bielsa reveals latest on Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk - YEP 3/12/21
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa is likely to have Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling available for the visit of Brentford on Sunday.
By Graham Smyth
The pair made their long-awaited comeback from injury
together on Monday at Manchester City with the Under 23s, who host Leicester
City in Premier League 2 action tonight at York.
Bamford completed 90 minutes at the Etihad Campus earlier in
the week on his return from ligament damage in his foot, while Ayling picked up
45 minutes following knee surgery.
Both players have been missing since the trip to Newcastle
United in mid-September, when they each suffered a serious injury in Leeds'
draw, but Bielsa hopes to have them among his options against the Bees.
"It's likely they'll be available for the game on
Sunday," said Bielsa, who added that 'in principle' he is not looking to
use the duo in the 23s fixture this evening.
Leeds also hope to have Pascal Struijk available.
Struijk was struggling with a hip injury as Leeds prepared
for Brighton and was only fit for 45 minutes of action, coming on at the break
for Kalvin Phillips. He then managed to start on Tuesday night against Crystal
Palace but appeared to aggravate the problem and had to come off at the
interval.
"We think he will be available for the game on Sunday,
he has a knock around his hip but we think he will be available," added
the head coach.
Struijk's injury coincided with the return from injury of
Junior Firpo, however, who took up the left-back role Bielsa has recently
entrusted to Struijk.
