Leeds United are in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday night with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on the cards. Daniel Farke’s side are yet to taste defeat this season, taking five points from three Premier League games and progressing in the cup against Nottingham Forest.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brighton was earned without Joe Rodon, who suffered a serious hamstring injury against Brentford, but his absence was eased through the return of Gabriel Gudmundsson. Deadline day arrivals Melvin Bard and Jean-Matteo were ready for a place on the bench but no debut as yet.
Midweek hosts Chelsea also have a few injury issues to manage, most notably surrounding Moises Caicedo who missed Sunday’s defeat at Arsenal. Below, the YEP round up all the latest injury and team news from both sides ahead of Wednesday’s cup clash.
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7. DOUBT: Ilia Gruev
The midfielder is yet to feature this season after picking up a serious knee injury back in April. He's been back in training for a couple of weeks now though, and a cup clash could prove a good chance for Gruev to make some sort of return if possible. | Getty Images
8. BACK: Gabriel Gudmundsson
The left-back's return from a hamstring injury at Brighton on Saturday was well-timed, allowing James Justin to cover for the injured Rodon. He did play the full 90 minutes and therefore could be rested in midweek, given the quick turnaround. | Luke Walker/Getty Images
9. DEBUT CHANCE: Melvin Bard
Leeds signed the left-back on loan from OGC Nice on deadline day, and he was in the matchday squad at Brighton. The 25-year-old should be sharp enough to feature, given he's started two Ligue 1 games already this season, and has had a couple more days with his new teammates. Like Gruev, a cup clash feels like a nice opportunity.
10. DEBUT CHANCE: Jean-Matteo Bahoya
Leeds fans could also get a first look at speedy winger Bahoya, who followed Bard through the door on deadline day. With Noah Okafor still not able to complete 90 minutes, a midweek game could force Farke to rotate and it could provide an exciting opportunity for the Frenchman to get his debut.