Leeds United have no need for defensive reinforcement in January, insists Marcelo Bielsa

The Whites have been hit by a mini-injury crisis with defenders Gaetano Berardi and Luke Ayling set to be out until the New Year. Pontus Jansson will also miss this weekend's fixture with Bristol City in LS11 leaving United with one recognised fully fit centre-back.

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips may be called upon to slot into the heart of defence, a role he has played a number of times this season, alongside skipper Liam Cooper with boss Bielsa also believing Under-23s player Aapo Halme to be an option if required on Saturday.

The Argentine though remained staunch in his belief that Leeds do not need to add any defensive cover to their ranks ahead of the January transfer window and called on his side to not use the adversity they were facing as an excuse.

"No," said Bielsa over any possible incomings. "We will have Jansson, Berardi and Ayling back and that will be enough.

"When you’re affected by a situation, I always have a look at the responsibility I have in it.

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"Because everyone gives his point of view. I listen to everyone’s point of view, but it’s one thing to tell what you think and another thing is to take a decision. My role is to take decisions.

"People around the team give their opinions with the best intentions.

"It’s a different thing to make an opinion on good intentions than to make a decision. The person making the decision gathers more opinions, more information than the one just giving his opinion.

"So when there’s one specific moment of the season, in one specific sector of the team, it’s not common to have these five players missing, Berardi, Blackman, Farrell, Ayling and Jansson.

"These are injuries based on kicks they received, not on muscular ones. These are injuries caused by traumatic situations, they are not muscular injuries so it’s not because of what you’re doing in the training session, it’s just a lack of luck.

"We will be working with many youngsters and for me adversity is never an excuse. That’s why, I’m telling you frankly, we have no reason not to win every game."