Daniel Farke’s Whites moved top of the division with Boxing Day evening’s 2-0 win at Stoke City which marked just a second away win from the club’s last eight games. Just three days later, Leeds will now bid for another victory on their travels in Sunday evening’s clash at a Derby County side who also enjoyed a big Boxing Day boost with a 2-1 victory at home to West Brom.
The victory left Paul Warne’s side in 14th place ahead of a quick return battle against Farke’s Whites who subjected the Rams to a 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture at Elland Road earlier this month. The two sides will now lock horns once more in a Sunday evening 5.45pm kick-off at Pride Park but five players have been ruled out of the contest and three more are doubts. With two more being assessed, here we run through the injury news from both camps.
7. Ilia Gruev (out)
United's Bulgarian international midfielder Gruev is one of two Leeds players definitely out, the 24-year-old still on the comeback trail from knee surgery. Photo: George Wood
8. Junior Firpo (out)
Another Whites man out, left back Firpo suffering a serious hamstring in the reverse fixture against Derby earlier this month that was expected to keep him out for four to six weeks. Photo: George Wood
9. Sam Byram (assessed)
Byram played 89 minutes of Boxing Day's win at Stoke, after which Farke declared that Leeds would have to see whether the full-back was ready to go again at Stoke considering his past injuries record - "always a little topic" as the Whites boss put it. Photo: Gary Oakley
![Leeds club captain Ampadu has returned sooner than expected from knee ligament damage and played the full duration of both last weekend's win against Oxford United and Boxing Day's triumph at Stoke City. After those demands, Farke has said that the skipper will naturally need to assessed. Farke said post-match: "We have to wait right now [to see] how Ethan Ampadu is - obviously it was just a second game in the starting line-up after this long term injury"](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmZkN2QzZDI5LWRiOWYtNDdjZC1hODM5LTE1YTRjODBjNTA4Mjo1ZGQ1ZmEwYi00ZDc4LTQxYmUtOTk3Yy0wNDgxNmZmMjMwZmY=.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=640)
10. Ethan Ampadu (assessed)
Leeds club captain Ampadu has returned sooner than expected from knee ligament damage and played the full duration of both last weekend's win against Oxford United and Boxing Day's triumph at Stoke City. After those demands, Farke has said that the skipper will naturally need to assessed. Farke said post-match: "We have to wait right now [to see] how Ethan Ampadu is - obviously it was just a second game in the starting line-up after this long term injury" Photo: George Wood