Patrick Bamford in contention as Leeds welcome back five for Aston Villa test

Posted Friday, September 30, 2022 by PA

Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo, Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo are all in contention for Leeds’ home game against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Bamford has only started two games this season due to injury and Rodrigo has recovered from a dislocated shoulder, while skipper Cooper (calf), Ayling and Firpo (both knee) are all hoping to make their first league starts.

Adam Forshaw (ankle) and teenager Archie Gray (fractured toe) are out while Stuart Dallas (fractured femur) remains a long-term absentee.

Aston Villa will be without France midfielder Boubacar Kamara, who suffered knee ligament damage in the win over Southampton before the international break which will rule him out of the World Cup.

Left-back Lucas Digne (heel) was also forced to pull out of France’s squad and will miss the trip to Elland Road, but Jan Bednarek, on loan from Southampton, is available again after being ineligible to face his parent club.

Matty Cash (hamstring) is set to resume full training next week while centre-back Diego Carlos continues his rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles.

Leeds provisional squad: Meslier, Robles, Klaesson, Koch, Llorente, Struijk, Kristensen, Ayling, Hjelde, Cooper, Firpo, Drameh, Roca, Harrison, Adams, Aaronson, Klich, Gyabi, Sinisterra, Summerville, Rodrigo, Bamford, Gelhardt, Greenwood.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Martinez, Konsa, Mings, Young, Bednarek, McGinn, Coutinho, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Bailey, Olsen, Chambers, Augustinsson, Dendoncker, Luiz, Sanson, Nakamba, Ings, Archer