Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has spoken about the importance of having former Nottingham Forest striker Patrick Bamford available again after a suspension.
The Whites face the Reds’ arch-rivals Derby County on Wednesday for the second leg of their play-offs semi-final, as they bid to reach Wembley and put themselves within touching distance of the Premier League.
Bielsa’s men hold a 1-0 lead going into the match at Elland Road, thanks to Kemar Roofe’s goal on Saturday evening.
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And Bamford will be back in contention for a place in the team for the return fixture, having served a two-match ban for “successful deception of a match official” in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last month.
Roofe, though, will miss out with a calf problem.
Asked about the importance of Bamford, Bielsa said in his pre-match press conference: “It’s always important to have at your disposal the players that have played during the season.
“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.
“And Tyler Roberts played as a number nine at that time but as you say, the absence of Kemar Roofe comes with the availability of Bamford.”
Bamford has made 24 appearances for Leeds this term, scoring 10 goals.
