Big Leeds United boost with star fully available at West Brom but trio out and defender doubtful

Full-back Sam Byram was expected to be out until the new year with the hamstring injury suffered in the 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers at the start of the month but returned to the bench for Boxing Day’s clash at Preston North End.

Having trained for just one day, Byram was an unused substitute as Leeds suffered a 2-1 defeat at Deepdale but boss Daniel Farke says the 30-year-old will now be “fully available” for Friday night’s Championship clash at The Hawthorns. Jamie Shackleton (glute), though, remains out in addition to Illan Meslier (suspended) and longer-term absentee Stuart Dallas (femoral fracture) whilst Luke Ayling is a big doubt due to knee problems.

First choice ‘keeper Meslier now begins a three-match ban for his straight red card in Boxing Day’s defeat at Preston. Whites boss Farke held his pre-West Brom press conference under embargo following the defeat at Deepdale, at which he revealed: “We had Sam Byram back with us today, he just trained with us yesterday and I just had him on the team sheet for 10 or 15 minutes.

"He will have two more days training and is then fully available for this game. That’s good. All the others will be a bit difficult because Luke is struggling with knee problems at the moment so I am not sure he will make it. Also Shackleton it is too soon, he’s not been in training so we’ll see how he develops.”

Byram had become Farke’s regular starting left back before injuring his hamstring, upon which Tottenham loanee right back Djed Spence has come into the starting XI on the opposite side of the defence to his natural position. Natural left back option Junior Firpo has bagged just 17 minutes off the bench since returning from his hamstring injury and Archie Gray has been Farke’s regular call at right back.

Asked if he looked at his full backs being different in what they offered him, Farke reasoned: "Yes. They are different. Died Spence is an offensive minded full-back, Archie Gray can do more or less both, is good on the ball and used to playing under pressure. Firpo is left-footed and experienced, sadly out such a long time with injuries and not in a rhythm, Sam Byram, we don’t have to talk about him, I think an outstanding season and the most consistent in my team so far.”