Leeds United boss Javi Gracia has extra man missing as he eyes Fulham FA Cup change 'opportunity'

New boss Javi Gracia has retained his tight-lipped stance on injuries but admits that those who missed out against Southampton will not be available for Tuesday’s cup game.

"You know I don't like to speak much about injured players,” he said on Monday.

"In this moment we are in the same situation with respect to injured players. The players available for the last game will be available for this game with the exception of Sam Greenwood who is suspended.”

The Spaniard did, however, admit that he will consider making changes to freshen up the team.

"As I experienced at Watford, I always tried to choose the best 11 to start the game,” he said.

"Sometimes to choose the best 11 is to make some changes and other moments is to maybe keep the same 11 you played in the last game. For sure we need something new, fresh legs to compete with our best 11. I trust all my players and it's a good opportunity to see other players.”

Liam Cooper was deemed fit enough for the bench at Goodison Park a week prior to Gracia’s first game in charge, although not fit enough to come on at the break when Max Wober was forced off, but the club captain was not named in the squad at all for the win over Southampton and isn’t expected to be risked at Fulham. Wober, however, returned from his shoulder injury in remarkably swift fashion, playing all of the game against the Saints a week later.

Pascal Struijk was another who did not make it into the matchday squad at the weekend and isn’t likely to in the cup. The centre-half blocked a Marcus Rashford shot with his head at Old Trafford on February 8, sustaining a concussion, and has not returned to action since but Leeds say he has now recovered and hope to have him ready for Chelsea next weekend.

Luis Sinisterra is yet to be seen in the Premier League since that 2-2 draw with Manchester United. The winger appeared to pick up a hamstring injury early on, having not long made a recovery from a Lisfranc foot injury, and has not been able to add to his eight starts since a summer transfer from Dutch top flight side Feyenoord.

Leeds’ top goalscorer Rodrigo is still out after ankle surgery but said last week that he expects to be able to return before the international break in March. It was in the FA Cup that he suffered damage that required surgery in a heavy challenge, having come off the bench with Leeds 3-0 up and coasting into the next round.

Gracia is not yet certain when the attacker will return. He said: “I can see him working in the gym, improving but I can't tell you because I don't know when he is going to be ready.”

Adam Forshaw has played in two of Leeds’ last 18 top flight games. His season was first disrupted by a hernia that required surgery and his latest issue, a hip problem, required an injection but he has not yet returned to the squad.

Stuart Dallas continues to work his way back to fitness after a number of surgeries following an horrific collision with Jack Grealish that left the Northern Ireland international with a fractured femur.