Leeds United’s quest for Premier League survival now presents a long midweek trip to Bournemouth - for which blows have one out and four others doubtful but with two more now back.
Leeds were due to visit Bournemouth next weekend but United’s success in the FA Cup led to the game becoming a Wednesday night fixture as part of a very busy week for Daniel Farke’s Whites.
Wednesday’s trip to the Vitality Stadium comes hot on the heels of Saturday’s 3-0 victory at home to Wolves which has left Leeds eight points clear of the drop zone with just five games left.
Leeds now find themselves on 39 points and with a quick chance to add to that tally at Bournemouth as part of a week which ends with Sunday’s huge FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Bournemouth, though, fresh from Saturday’s 2-1 win at Newcastle United, are in outstanding form, the Cherries having not lost in the league since their 3-2 defeat at home to Arsenal on Saturday, January 3.
Andoni Iraola’s side also have a relatively clean bill of health on the injuries front although both Bournemouth and Leeds do have key players either out or doubtful.
Here, we run through the combined early injury news from both camps which all amounts to one definitely out and four more doubtful but with a key pair now back.
1. BACK: Joe Rodon
Whites centre-back Rodon injured his ankle in the FA Cup quarter-final victory at West Ham and boss Daniel Farke initially thought it was probably only realistic to expect him back in May and not April. Farke, though, said last week there was always the chance of a surprise earlier return and Rodon indeed came back much quicker than expected to make the bench against Wolves, the defender brought on for the final few minutes of second half stoppage time. Farke then said on Tuesday that there had been so setback from Rodon's return so the defender is clearly now back in the mix and just a question of whether he starts. Huge boost. | Getty Images
2. BACK: James Justin
Versatile defender Justin played a starring role in Saturday's win against Wolves with huge contributions at both ends of the pitch. The 28-year-old was seen stretching off at the end of the game but Farke said post match he thought it was just a case of cramp. Farke reported no new injuries on Tuesday so Justin fully expected to be back. | John Walton/PA Wire
3. BACK: Tyler Adams
Bournemouth's former Whites midfielder Adams had been out of with a quadriceps injury which kept him out of Bournemouth's two games before the March international break and the two USA friendlies in the break itself. Adams, though, regained his fitness during the break and has bagged 45 minutes from the bench in the last two games against Arsenal and Newcastle. Cherries boss Andoni Iraola reported no new injuries on Tuesday so just a case now of whether Adams starts against his former side or again begins from the bench. | Getty Images
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4. DOUBT: Lewis Cook
Former Whites youngster Cook has now missed his side's last seven games with a hamstring injury but boss Andoni Iraola said ahead of the weekend's trip to Newcastle that Cook was now partially training with the group - not yet ready to feature - but close. Iraola said: "Lew is training partially with the group, has started, but is not still ready for a game, but is very close." With no new injuries reported on Tuesday, Cook might be in with a chance of making the bench. | Getty Images
5. DOUBT: Julio Soler
Bournemouth's Argentina youth international left back Soler has now missed his side's last 12 games with a hamstring injury although Iraola said ahead of last weekend's clash at Arsenal that he was back in training with the group but not ready to play a lot of minutes. The 21-year-old then failed to make the matchday squad for Saturday's win at Newcastle and it remains to be seen if he is in the mix for the Leeds visit. The fact that Iraola reported no new injuries would suggest he's a possibility. | Getty Images
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6. DOUBT: Dan James
A Leeds star who is now officially 'back' yet quite clearly still a a doubt, Farke reiterating the point several times on Tuesday how James would now need session after session upon returning to training this week from an adductor strain. James suffered the adductor strain in the session before the FA Cup quarter-final at West Ham and has not featured since but Farke said it was more a case of a year's worth of injuries on and off that now had James needing lots of sessions before coming back. A big surprise if he is involved at Bournemouth, despite actually being 'back'. | Getty Images