Leeds United injury blow and major doubt for Cardiff City but trio back in squad

Speaking after the departure of Luke Ayling, who joined Middlesbrough on loan on Wednesday, Farke revealed good news ahead of Saturday's away day in the form of a return to the squad for three players after injury and illness issues and Meslier, after a three-game red card suspension.

"Illan [Meslier] is thank God, back, and he will return back to the goal if nothing major happens in the next training session," said Farke. "Sam Byram joined us in team training today, the same as Ian Poveda who had illness at the start of the week - I think both will be able to travel with us to Cardiff. The same with Joffy [Joe Gelhardt] - he was out but is now back in training."

Byram missed a trio of December fixtures with a hamstring problem and then went off early on against Birmingham City on New Year's Day with a similar issue. The left-back was not in the squad for Sunday's FA Cup win at Peterborough United but will bolster Farke's options at full-back against the Bluebirds.

The exits of Djed Spence and Ayling have left Farke with left-back pairing Byram, Junior Firpo, central midfielder Archie Gray and utility man Jamie Shackleton, and though Leeds want to strengthen in that area there are no imminent arrivals. Leeds will be missing Pascal Struijk again on Saturday and Farke is not expecting Liam Cooper to fill in for the Dutchman at the left side of the central defensive pairing.

The manager said: "The bad news is Pascal Struijk will still be out for this game, no chance to travel with us. Liam Cooper is a major doubt, he was not able to train, he still report some groin issues."

That makes it likely that Ethan Ampadu will once again move back into central defence, given Farke's current stance on Charlie Cresswell who the manager says will not be picked until the situation around his role at the club is sorted.

Farke spoke extensively about the youngster in his press conference on Thursday, revealing that he had left the ball in Cresswell's court over his future at Leeds and either he had to accept he was the fourth-choice centre-back and fight to work his way up the pecking order, or come to the manager with a solution in the form of a club that meets the Whites' valuation of him.