Leeds United injury latest as Jesse Marsch issues comeback expectations for first team regulars

Jesse Marsch was without captain Liam Cooper and fellow centre-back Robin Koch for the visit to Cardiff City in the FA Cup, along with goalkeeper Illan Meslier and midfielders Tyler Adams and Adam Forshaw. Bamford returned to training on Friday but the cup tie came too soon for his competitive comeback.

Marsch explained that a number of his senior players should back amongst it at Thorp Arch prior to the trip to Villa.

“Coops and Robin both have a little bit of a glute strain, but they should be back in training by midweek,” said the head coach.

"Tyler, we had planned [for him to miss Cardiff] ahead of time because he had a little bit of an Achilles issue after the World Cup, but he's feeling much better and he'll be back in training as well this week. Illan had a muscle issue with his kicking leg after being out for so long with the with glandular fever that it stressed him a little bit, so he wouldn't have been able to play either today. So all four of those really weren't able to play.

"Adam Forshaw should be back in training by midweek. Patrick trained yesterday and the day before so we're gonna have a good training session for him tomorrow. So he'll be back in the mix this week. So we're just waiting on Luis [Sinisterra] to get into training, which will hopefully by the end of the week happen, and then Stuart [Dallas] and Archie [Gray] but other than that, I think most guys will be back in training.”

Marsch did take Jack Harrison and Marc Roca to Wales but decided not to use them after late fitness tests, keeping both on the bench.

Leeds will travel to Birmingham on the back of a three-game unbeaten run, having drawn with Newcastle United, West Ham United and now Cardiff, who went 2-0 up against the Whites only to draw 2-2 having gone down to 10 men late on.