Boss provides injury update on Leeds United player after setback halts impressive run

Poveda has burst back on to the scene as a regular Tangerines starter of late, thriving in the no 10 role and lining up in four games in succession. The 22-year-old scored and also bagged an assist in this month’s 4-1 victory against FA Cup third round visitors Nottingham Forest but was absent from the matchday squad for Saturday’s Championship clash at Watford. Blackpool fell to a 2-0 defeat in the fixture, after which Appleton revealed that Poveda had failed a late Saturday morning fitness test on a groin issue.

“He felt sore yesterday (Friday),” said Appleton to the Blackpool Gazette. “We felt reasonably confident his groin would be okay today but he had a fitness test this morning and he didn’t come through it.”