Leeds United have suffered another injury blow after Marcelo Bielsa revealed that Kemar Roofe will miss this weekend’s clash with Aston Villa.
The Whites’ top-scorer, who has only recently returned from a knee ligament injury, has been ruled out once again after sustaining a hip injury.
The 14-goal forward hasn’t started for United since returning from his previous knock against Birmingham City on April 6.
That has meant Roofe hasn’t started, or scored, since February 12, against Swansea City, which underlines how stop-start the 26-year-old’s season has been, on the injury front.
Following back-to-back defeats, which has almost ensured that Leeds will miss out on automatic promotion, this is the last news that Whites supporters will have wanted to hear.
Speaking at Thorp Arch, ahead of the Villa clash, Bielsa said:” Apart Roofe from Alioski, all the other players are fine. He (Roofe) has a problem with his hip and he can’t do his maximum sprint.”
When quizzed on how long Roofe would be out for, he added: “I think he will be available sooner (than the end of the season).”
This is the latest body blow on a long list for the Argentine chief. This latest news comes after Ezgjan Alioski was ruled out for the rest of the season this week, whilst Barry Douglas is also missing until next campaign.
Of Leeds’ senior players, nearly all of their first-choice starting XI and substitutes have spent large portions of time in the treatment room.
On their poor injury luck, Bielsa said: “As an average, we’ve missed four players this season.”
United will be bidding to re-ignite their push for promotion against Dean Smith’s this side, who head to Elland Road on a ten-match winning run, which has seen them guarantee a place in the end-of-season promotion lottery.
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Marcelo Bielsa will be followed by Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw.
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