Leeds United's injury list and expected return dates as six could return for Man City clash

Leeds had seven players injured ahead of Saturday’s final Premier League before the World Cup break at Tottenham Hotspur. Here, we run through who is out with what and when they are expected back.

Patrick Bamford (hip)

Bamford sustained an injury to his hip when taking a penalty in training the day before United’s clash at home to Bournemouth at the start of the month. Whites boss Jesse Marsch described the issue as a seven-day injury but the Whites no 9 was ruled out of last weekend’s trip to Tottenham at Marsch’s pre-match press conference. Nevertheless, Bamford will be expected to be one of several players back available by the time Leeds return to Premier League action at home to Manchester City on Wednesday, December 28.

Stuart Dallas (femoral fracture)

Dallas has now been sidelined for nearly seven months but continues on the comeback trail from the femoral fracture that the Northern Ireland international star suffered in April’s 4-0 defeat at home to Manchester City. Speaking at his pre-Spurs press conference, Marsch said: “Stuart's making great progress as well and we'll see how that goes but maybe we get him on the pitch at some point towards the end of December, early January.”

Adam Forshaw (hernia)

Forshaw had surgery on a hernia issue at the start of October but the midfielder was close to being back available to face Spurs. Marsch said at his pre-match press conference: “Adam Forshaw has been training hard back out on the pitch and if the Tottenham match was maybe three days later, we would consider him probably eligible for the match but it at least means that he should be ready, when we get back after the World Cup to get into training and get himself back to 100 per cent.” That suggests it will be all systems go for a return against City, likely to the bench.

Jack Harrison (muscle strain)

Marsch revealed in his pre-Tottenham press conference that Harrison had suffered a muscle strain and that he was “questionable” for the weekend’s game against Spurs. Harrison did travel with the squad to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but did not make the XI or bench but he will be expected back for the City clash three days after Christmas.

Mateusz Klich (knee)

Klich played the full duration of the midweek Carabao Cup clash at Wolves but Marsch revealed two days later that the Pole had suffered a knock to the knee and was out of the Spurs clash. But there was no suggestion that the knock was anything serious and the midfielder looks set to be another one back available for City.

Luis Sinisterra (foot)

Colombian international winger Sinisterra missed the trip to Liverpool with a foot injury and it was initially hoped that the 23-year-old would be back for the following weekend’s hosting of Bournemouth. But the issue turned out to be more severe. Speaking ahead of this month’s hosting of the Cherries, Marsch said of Sinisterra: "Luis has a foot injury that it turns out to be more than what we initially originally thought it was. He wasn't making the progress that we were hoping for him to make over the last 10 days. So they did another scan and then they had a specialist looked at it, and they start to worry about it being a Lisfranc injury. It’s a rare injury that controls the movement of the metatarsals and when that is ruptured, it can be a long recovery. We don't believe it's ruptured. We believe it's partially torn, which puts him in a little bit of a grey area, but probably out until after the World Cup break. We're hopeful that it's a version that doesn't take long.”

Archie Gray (ankle)

Exciting young midfielder Gray recently fractured his big toe in an accident at home and the 16-year-old is now facing around six to eight weeks out due to an ankle problem that became highlighted upon breaking his toe. Marsch said last week: “Archie Gray has turned into a little bit of an ankle injury and so we're in a situation with his age and he's still growing that we have to shut him down for about six to eight weeks. It's a little defect that he has in his ankle that kind of got highlighted when his toe got broken. So it's unfortunate. He's obviously down about it, but we think given his age and his maturity, physical maturity, this is the best thing for him.” The timeframe given suggests Gray is now probably looking at a new year return.

Cody Drameh (unknown)

Young right-back Drameh did not feature in the recent midweek Carabao Cup clash at Wolves despite Marsch using the contest as an opportunity to field plenty of youngsters either in the starting XI or on the bench. The Whites boss was asked about Drameh at his pre-Spurs press conference and said: “The plan was to have him in the squad and he said he wasn't physically ready. He said he felt he was injured so then we didn't put him in the squad.”

Tyler Adams (suspended)

Adams is one of three Whites players heading for the World Cup in Qatar with the USA squad but the midfielder will miss United’s first game back in December against Manchester City. The 23-year-old must now serve a one-match ban for his sending off following a second booking in Saturday’s defeat at Spurs.

Conclusion: Taking into account all of the information provided, six players could be back available to face City in Patrick Bamford, Adam Forshaw, Jack Harrison, Mateusz Klich, Cody Drameh and potentially Luis Sinisterra. It remains to be seen when Archie Gray and longer-term absentee Stuart Dallas return whilst Tyler Adams is banned.