Duo miss out for Leeds United against Aston Villa - but O'Kane in race to be ready

INJURED: Stuart Dallas in action for Northern Ireland against Switzerland in the World Cup play-off. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire

Dallas is still feeling the effects of an ankle problem picked up on international duty with Northern Ireland, while Lasogga has yet to recover from a leg injury which the German picked up following an illness.

Both will definitely miss the Championship clash with high-flying Villa, but Whites head coach Thomas Christiansen is more optimistic about O’Kane who was substituted with a hip injury during the second half of last weekend’s 2-0 win at Barnsley.

Christiansen, though, has suggested that the complications with Dallas could have been avoided had Northern Ireland not “risked” the 26-year-old in the second leg of their World Cup Qualifying play-off against Switzerland earlier this month, three days after the winger picked up an injury in the first leg.

OUT: Pierre-Michel Lasogga is injured for the Friday night visit from Aston Villa.

Dallas was substituted after 52 minutes of the first leg against Switzerland following a hefty tackle from Fabian Schar in the first half, but returned to play the full 90 minutes of the second leg.

The winger then returned to action as a second-half substitute in United’s recent 4-1 loss at leaders Wolves, but Christiansen says the midfielder is still feeling the effects of his injury picked up with Northern Ireland.

“Stuey and Pierre will be out,” revealed Christiansen. “O’Kane has a possibility.”

Asked if Dallas came close to featuring against Villa, Christiansen said: “There could have been a possibility against Villa, but I didn’t want to run any risk.

“He already took that playing the two games with his national team which were a bad decision for the future. But there is nothing that we can say and do right now, just get him as fit as soon as possible.”

Giving the latest update on Lasogga, Christiansen added: “He could have had the possibility. He had joined the training individually, but next week he will probably join the team.”

Christiansen said he hoped that Dallas would be available for next Saturday’s trip to QPR but, on O’Kane, he said: “He had problems in the hip,” said Christiansen. “He is okay now.”

Fellow midfielder Ronaldo Vieira will be available again for Leeds after serving a one-match ban following his red card in the defeat to Wolves.