Leeds United defender set to miss Bristol City visit as fan favourite joins growing absentee list
Leeds United will be without Junior Firpo at Ashton Gate this weekend after the Dominican Republic defender picked up his fifth booking of the league season.
The left-back was cautioned during the second half of Leeds' Championship game against Watford. Firpo pulled back the Hornets' Festy Ebosele who had gone round the outside of the Leeds defender and looked to get to the byline in a similar fashion to Kwadwo Baah who had scored minutes earlier to reduce Watford's arrears.
Firpo was involved in a more positive sense from a Leeds perspective during the first half, setting up Largie Ramazani for the game's opening goal in the third minute. It was the Dominican Republic international's 13th assist of the calendar year, for club and country.
He will not have the opportunity to add to that tally against the Robins on Saturday lunchtime, though, as EFL rules stipulate players must serve a one-match suspension if they have accrued five bookings before gameweek 19, a cut-off which usually falls during the festive period.
Who else is at risk?
Fellow Leeds defenders Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle are also on the suspension watchlist having picked up four yellow cards each this term. Both will be available at Ashton Gate, however, unlike Firpo.
The left-back is likely to be replaced by Sam Byram on that side of Daniel Farke's defence, while summer signing Isaac Schmidt is another option at the Leeds manager's disposal.
Firpo will join Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev and Max Wober in the stands or watching from afar this weekend, while a further assessment of Ramazani following his premature withdrawal versus Watford will determine whether he is able to play a part.