Patrick Bamford absent as Diego Llorente returns for Leeds against Newcastle

Posted Friday, January 21, 2022 by PA

Patrick Bamford has suffered a new injury setback, but Diego Llorente will return to bolster Leeds’ defence in their home game against Newcastle.

Striker Bamford has sustained a foot issue having recovered from successive ankle and hip problems, while Llorente missed last week’s win at West Ham due to a one-game ban.

Forwards Joe Gelhardt (ankle) and Tyler Roberts (calf) could return to contention – Roberts was also suspended last week – but midfielder Adam Forshaw and left-back Junior Firpo (both hamstring) have been added to Marcelo Bielsa’s long injury list.

Newcastle wing-back Matt Richie is a doubt with a knee injury and will be assessed before head coach Eddie Howe names his team.

Midfielder Jeff Hendrick and striker Dwight Gayle, who both missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Watford after Howe had revealed there were Covid-19 cases within the camp, have returned to training and Javier Manquillo is available following a one-match ban.

Fellow full-back Jamal Lewis is also back on the training pitch following a hamstring injury, although the game could come too soon for him, but defender Federico Fernandez (thigh), midfielder Isaac Hayden (knee) and striker Callum Wilson (calf) are still out.

Leeds provisional squad: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Llorente, Hjelde, Dallas, Struijk, Klich, Harrison, Raphinha, James, Roberts, Rodrigo, Gelhardt, Summerville, Bate, Klaesson, McCarron, Jenkins, Moore.

Newcastle provisional squad: Dubravka, Darlow, Gillespie, Manquillo, Trippier, Murphy, Ritchie, Lewis, Krafth, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Shelvey, S. Longstaff, Willock, Hendrick, Fraser, Almiron, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Wood, Gayle, Anderson.