Leeds United are halfway through the first international break of the season and into the final week of their preparations for Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road.
Unfortunately for head coach Marcelo Bielsa, he is down a couple of players already since full-time in the Manchester City draw.
Liam Cooper and Diego Llorente have each returned to Thorp Arch with problems after international duty with Scotland and Spain respectively.
While Bielsa weighs up the impact of those issues, there are a few more which were hanging over before the intermission.
Let’s take a look over who’s out for United and when they’re scheduled to return.
Adam Forshaw
The longest-standing source of pain for Bielsa, medical staff and fans at United. The central midfielder has had so little luck for so long now.
After first injuring his hip a 2019 summer friendly with Cagliari, Forshaw soldiered on through eight matches last season before finally succumbing to the pain.
September 28, 2019 was Forshaw’s last appearance. In February it was finally decided he would go to the USA for surgery on the hip with hopes to return in August for the new season.
The 29-year-old has finally been seen training with his team-mates outdoors again, but when asked about him last month, Bielsa again tried to take the pressure off Forshaw.
Bielsa would not put a date on Forshaw’s comeback, but did he say he would need up to five under-23 appearances before getting back into the first team.
The fifth consecutive under-23 match from now would be on November 23, but that’s assuming Forshaw played in their next game on Friday.
There has been no news to suggest that will happen, which then pushes those Premier League 2 opportunities into December and, more likely, January.
A 2020 first-team return looks a tall ask for Forshaw right now.
Liam Cooper
Another of Bielsa’s regulars who has struggled with his fair share of injuries across the past two years.
Cooper’s last injury was on Scotland duty and now he has returned to West Yorkshire with another problem, but in his groin this time.
Last night, the club announced an expectation he would be ready within the next two weeks, which would guarantee availability for the Leicester City match on November 2.
However, there is a hope he may be in a position to at least attempt a fitness test before this coming Monday’s return with Wolves.
Even if he went on to miss the Wolves match, that slither of hope for a match six days away becomes a greater hope for a match 10 days away at Aston Villa.
Kiko Casilla
Bielsa is yet to provide any clarity or timeframe on Casilla’s return to the squad.
The Spanish goalkeeper has not featured in any of the three matchday squads since he captained the side in the penalty-shootout loss to Hull City in the EFL Cup.
After the win over Fulham, Bielsa said: “He got injured in the game against Hull.
“He played a pass to [Ezgjan] Alioski and Alioski gave it back to him and when he went to clear the ball the opposition player came from behind and tried to stop him.
“Kiko didn't see him and when he went to kick the ball he picked up a knock in his ankle.”
Casilla can be seen receiving treatment on his lower leg in a video the club released over the last few days.
Diego Llorente
The Spain defender’s groin problem is evidently more serious than Cooper’s based upon United’s statement.
The club expects Llorente to be out for up to three weeks, which would be the date of the Leicester game.
The 27-year-old should miss Wolves and Villa then, but, with some luck, could be available for the Foxes at Elland Road.
If Llorente has less luck, a more conservative return date could be the November 7 trip to Crystal Palace.
Pablo Hernandez
The good news is we expect Hernandez to be available for the Wolves match on Monday.
On September 25, Bielsa said he expected the Spanish playmaker would need another two weeks of recovery from then, meaning October 9.
The under-23s play on Friday in Reading and Bielsa may be tempted, if Hernandez is recovered, to test the 35-year-old’s legs there.
Encouragingly, Hernandez was spotted with the main group in the most recent training video from Thorp Arch last week.
