Leeds United are just one game away from nightmare three-fold scenario
Aside from the glorious performance and three points for Leeds United on Friday, the best news of the night came from the bench. The return of Daniel James and Manor Solomon to action after injury in that second half provided a monumental boost after weeks of medical setbacks for the club.
They will hope to get even more minutes into their legs when Watford visit tomorrow night. Their returns mean, pending Daniel Farke’s latest press conference, Ethan Ampadu, Max Wober and Ilia Gruev are the only absentees United are coping with.
They are sizeable losses in key positions too. Aside from injuries, the great threat to player selection for Farke is suspension. Thankfully, there have been no red cards shown to his players yet, but the yellows continue to tick over.
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The Whites are eighth in the disciplinary league table on 23 yellow cards, the same as Luton Town. Preston North End, for context, have the most with 34 and Middlesbrough have had the fewest at just 16 cautions.
On Friday in West Yorkshire, Junior Firpo joined Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle on four yellows. They are already walking the suspension tightrope. They will be banned for one match if they, individually, pick up another one yellow apiece before the Derby County game on December 7.
After collecting four in 10 games, they now have to negotiate another nine outings without getting an additional one. Bogle and Firpo at least has some cover in the form of Sam Byram and Isaac Schmidt, but the squad is already thinning out behind Rodon.
In Rodon’s case, if that fifth booking comes before Max Wober is match-fit, Farke will be forced to play either Byram or James Debayo in central defence. Leeds need all three to be on their best behaviour to avoid that suspension, but it looks a massive ask when tackling is their day job.