Dominic Calvert-Lewin hits back at injury 'narrative' with Leeds United milestone in sight vs West Ham
The striker has been available virtually all season for Leeds United.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has heaped praise on the Leeds United medical staff for allowing him to ‘thrive’ in his debut Elland Road campaign.
Calvert-Lewin notched his 14th Premier League goal of the season in Sunday’s 1-0 win at home to Brighton. The Leeds striker pounced on a short Jan Paul van Hecke backpass five minutes into added-time before rounding goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and rolling into an empty net.
Equally important as that goals tally has been availability, with Calvert-Lewin not missing a single Premier League game through injury since his first top-flight appearance against Newcastle United in August. Feature at West Ham on Sunday and he’ll have got through an entire campaign without an injury-related absence, which would be a huge milestone.
“They [the Leeds medical staff] have been really, really good,” Calvert-Lewin told the Official Leeds United podcast. “I was so happy when I joined and started speaking to them to get their idea on how they view things. It made me feel comfortable very quickly.
“I think in the way they approach things and the level of detail in which they approach it, it's been exactly what I’ve needed. Sometimes the stars align. From Henry [McStay, head physio] and all the physios, Chris Domogalla [fitness coach], sports science and the way in which they look at the load and the numbers, I think it's been great for me. It's allowed me to thrive on the pitch and get me in a physical condition where I'm probably the fittest I've ever been.
“I'd come in with that history and then a week later, I'm involved in a squad. So there's a bit of give and take in the sense that yes, it's related to the individual, but at the same time, we've all got a job to do, which I recognise. I've just got to get fit, be healthy and perform, which I appreciated.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin on injury ‘narrative’
Calvert-Lewin arrived at Elland Road with question marks hanging over his head regarding fitness. The striker had played over 2,000 Premier League minutes in just one of his final four seasons at Everton and hadn’t hit double figures for goals since netting 16 in 2020/21.
Leeds managing director Robbie Evans backed the medical staff to keep the free agent and other injury-prone summer arrivals fit, and for the most part they have delivered. For Calvert-Lewin, it was as much a mental hurdle as it was physical.
“The hardest part was psychologically, and that's probably what I've been most proud of this season on a personal note to have overcome,” he added. “Once you get tarred with that brush, it's very hard to shake it off. That narrative, it doesn't leave you. Even to this day, I can play 30-odd, 40-odd games this season, but I'm sure I'll get interviewed next season and people will bring up ‘what about your injuries?’ kind of thing.
“So it's frustrating and you have to just keep proving, the only way you can prove it is just by being fit. But it's the mental journey that it takes you on and getting that confidence back in your body, which thankfully I've got this season, I think it's shown in my performances.”