Leeds have suffered an injured blow ahead of their play-off semi-final return against Derby after Kemar Roofe was ruled out a calf problem.
Roofe scored the only goal in Saturday’s first leg at the iPro Stadium with his 15th strike of the season to end his five-month barren run.
Coach Marcelo Bielsa revealed at his press conference on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at Elland Road that top scorer Roofe has picked up a calf problem and is out.
Bielsa added that midfielder Adam Forshaw had also been ruled out through injury and that centre-half Pontus Jansson is doubtful.
Bielsa said: “Adam Forshaw won’t be available. For Pontus Jansson tomorrow will try and work normally and we will see tomorrow how he is.
Frank Lampard blasts "astounding" penalty decision after Derby's loss to Leeds
And Roofe won’t be available either, while Tyler Roberts and Ezgjan Alioski are also out injured.
“Kemar’s problem is more simple than Adam’s. But still he won’t be available for Wednesday.
It’s a calf problem. It’s less serious that Adam’s injury, but we have to take care of him.”
Roofe’s loss is partly offset by Patrick Bamford’s return from his two-match ban for playacting to get Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi sent off.
Bielsa is glad to have the option of Bamford, who has scored 10 goals for Leeds since his summer £7million switch from Middlesbrough.
“It’s always important to have at your disposal the players that have played during the season,” said the Argentinian.
“We always think about our team with 18 starters.
“It’s not just a common sentence, but it’s a reality demanded by the competition. Of course we would like to have Roofe and Bamford with us. In some segments of the season both were unavailable.
“Tyler Roberts has played as a No 9 in that time, but as you say, the absence of Kemar Roofe is balanced by the availability of Bamford.”
