QPR v Leeds United: Eunan O'Kane back but trio ruled out of Loftus Road clash

Eunan O'Kane is back in Leeds United's squad for tomorrow's clash with Queens Park Rangers but Pablo Hernandez, Stuart Dallas and Pierre-Michel Lasogga have all been ruled out of the game at Loftus Road.
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O’Kane is set to feature in Thomas Christiansen’s 18-man squad having missed last week’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa with a hip injury but Christiansen has opted not to risk a hamstring strain suffered by Hernandez in that match and will give Dallas and Lasogga another week to reach full fitness.

Lasogga has played no part for Leeds since the end of the recent international break and the German striker will sit out of a fifth successive game this weekend.

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Leeds blamed a bout of illness for Lasogga’s absence from their 2-1 win over Middlesbrough on November 19 but a muscle injury, believed to be a calf strain, has forced him to sit out subsequent meetings with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Barnsley and Villa.

Dallas, meanwhile, is still recovering from an ankle knock picked up during Northern Ireland’s recent World Cup qualifying play-off against Switzerland.

The winger appeared as a substitute in Leeds’ 4-1 defeat to Wolves but suffered a reaction to his injury and is back in the treatment room.

Christiansen said: “They (Lasogga and Dallas) are still out. With Stuey I didn’t want to run any risk and Pierre still needs more time. I believe that in one week to 10 days I will have Pierre back and the same with Stuey.”

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Hernandez, whose form has helped to underpin a recent upturn in form at Leeds, limped out of the Villa clash before half-time. “Pablo could have been in,” Christiansen said, “but I didn’t want that. He will be with the team again when we come back.”

Eunan O'Kane.Eunan O'Kane.
Eunan O'Kane.

United’s head coach, however, confirmed that O’Kane was fit to travel to London with the rest of his players.

The clutch of absentees left Christiansen with a weakened bench against Villa but the Leeds boss said: “I’m going to use all the players in the squad and I want them to be ready for the opportunities they’ll get.”