According to a recent update from manager Daniel Farke, Leeds United has now had a new injury issue alongside captain Ethan Ampadu.
On Saturday afternoon, when they met West Brom at Elland Road, the Whites had another chance to pull farther ahead at the top of the Championship.
However, Farke and his team ultimately had a miserable day when Junior Firpo’s first goal was cancelled out by a header from Darnell Furlong prior to halftime, leaving the score at 1-1.
Even though Sheffield United defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-1 on the road, the outcome was far from disastrous, and Leeds are still in a fantastic position. With one game remaining, the Whites sit eight points ahead of Burnley in third place and three ahead of the Blades.
A concerning update has surfaced regarding one player, but Farke will be crossing his fingers that as many important players remain healthy as possible because injuries have the power to define any season.
Alongside the crucial Ampadu, Leeds star Mateo Joseph has now sustained an injury, Farke stated following Saturday’s match against West Brom: Mateo is the subject of some of our worries. He gave his ankle a slight roll. Hopefully, it won’t be too horrible.
The Whites would undoubtedly suffer if Joseph were to be sidelined for an extended length of time, but the manager at least seems reasonably optimistic that his absence won’t be too long.
Even though he hasn’t been a consistent player this season, the 21-year-old has contributed three goals and three assists each in the Championship, making 23 appearances from the substitutes’ bench and providing quality when opponents’ legs are worn out. Whites analyst Kris Smith has praised him, saying:
It is my firm belief that Mateo Joseph will soon become a striker of Premier League caliber. He won’t need that much time to get there, in my opinion. However, I believe that getting the patience he needs to overcome his present shortcomings is the only thing preventing him from succeeding right now.
Although Joseph’s playing still has an acceptable rawness at age 21, Smith suggests that he has a high ceiling as a player and would be a success for Leeds in the Premier League.
But there is still a lot of work to be done in the Championship promotion race this season, and the Spaniard can play a significant role in making sure his team returns to the top flight as soon as possible.
The sooner he returns from his ankle issue the better, and Farke will hope that he is available for next Sunday’s trip to Portsmouth, in another massive game, especially with Patrick Bamord showing no signs of returning.
