Leeds United issue update over Luke Ayling injury picked up in Nottingham Forest draw

Head coach Marcelo Bielsa described the damage suffered by Ayling in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest as “an important injury”, revealing his concern that the 27-year-old had sustained a potentially serious problem.

Ayling, who missed the second half of last season due to ankle surgery which followed a clash with Forest at Elland Road, was hurt in a challenge on Jack Robinson but attempted to play on and felt his leg give way as he challenged for a header shortly after.

Leeds plan to send Ayling for full assessments in the next 24 hours and are waiting to see if Bielsa’s first-choice right-back is set for another extended absence.

Leeds United 1 Nottingham Forest 1: Phil Hay’s player ratingsBielsa’s line-ups this season have been affected by multiple absences and a run of setbacks which began with Adam Forshaw breaking a foot bone in July.

Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez missed more than a month of the season with calf and hamstring strains and Gaetano Berardi is back in the treatment room with a muscular issue sustained in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town, his second game back after a knee problem.

Left-back Barry Douglas has sat out the past three matches with a pulled hamstring, through he is expected to make his comeback with Leeds’ Under-23s against Hull City tomorrow. Striker Patrick Bamford will be unavailable until the new year with a damaged posterior cruciate ligament.

Bielsa gave few details about Ayling’s condition at the end of the clash with Forest, saying only: “I think it’s an important (serious) injury.”