Leeds United's Patrick Bamford provides injury update with final chance and 'pointless' warning

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has provided an injury update and assessed his chances of returning for the play-off final.

Whites no 9 Bamford missed United’s last two games of the regular Championship season with an injury that was initially believed to a heavily bruised knee. Bamford, tough, was then ruled out for both legs of the play-offs semi-final against Norwich City after new diagnosis revealed mini trauma in his patellar tendon.

Leeds have now booked their place in the play-off final in which they will face Southampton and Bamford says it is “touch and go” if he will back for it, the striker revealing that he would need to train by Wednesday in order to stand a chance.

Otherwise, admits Bamford, it would be “pointless” in him being an option following three and a half weeks out.

Speaking on the ‘My Mate’s A Footballer Podcast‘, Bamford was asked if he knew how injured he was and declared: “The simple answer is no. It is kind of touch and go, obviously these ten days, realistically, if I want to be involved in the final, then I will have to train with the team at some point at least next week.

"It was just against Middlesbrough and I don’t remember doing it. There was one shot that they are pretty sure when it happened because I was  limping after.

"Cree (Summerville) shot and I slid in to try and tap it in at the back post and I don’t know what happened but somehow I ended up banging my knee or twisting it or something.

“And then just like two minutes later when I was jogging around on the pitch it just started to get more and more sore.

"The manager took me off literally five minutes later so I was kind of like 'good', I thought I will be alright, I’ve just banged it. And then the next day, I was in agony and I was like, 'what is going on?'

“I got on the bench and iced it and then the next day I thought it should settle down and it didn't, it was worse.

"But I don't really know how to explain what it is. It’s something to do with the patella tendon and where the bone attaches so it’s basically like touch and go for the final.

“Realistically, because it’s been three maybe three/three and a half weeks since I last played, I need to train, with the final on a Sunday, I would say I need to train on the Wednesday to get a few days training because otherwise it’s pointless me being there anyway as I won’t be sharp or used to it."