Leeds United hit by striker injury worries after Chelsea with 'tricky' situation for Liverpool

Leeds face Liverpool on Saturday after a 3-1 win over the Blues at Elland Road on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke is definitely without Daniel James, who will be out of action for at least eight weeks. The winger has damaged his hamstring tendon and the club hope to treat the injury conservatively in order to avoid surgery and an even longer time on the sidelines. Sean Longstaff is also out for around six weeks with a calf issue.

The Chelsea game has not left Leeds unscathed. Most concerningly Farke is unsure if he will be able to rely on his strike partnership, who have scored three and played a key role in the last two performances.

“On the long term we have Daniel James and Sean Longstaff out,” he said. “We need to take some late decisions like always with such a quick turnaround. A few are a bit more of a major doubt. Lukas Nmecha with hamstring problems after the last game, we have to assess if he’s really available, also Dominic Calvert-Lewin with some calf problems after the last game, question mark over his availability. Lots of players with lots of load, especially players in the wing-back positions or midfield positions. We have to see who has fully recovered. For some it’s easier when you’re used to having this load, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu are more used to it, but players who joined us in the summer from leagues that don’t have the intensity of the Premier League it’s perhaps a bit more difficult.”

Farke is glad that in the midfield he has rotated a little of late but does not know if Ao Tanaka will be able to start for the third time in a week.

“It’s perhaps positive we’ve shared the load so far,” he said. “Anton Stach and Gabi Gudmundsson were not too much involved against Man City, I think this was helpful. For Ao Tanaka it’s a bit more tricky, he has played both games, many minutes and had to invest a lot. He was in the ice bath before I joined the press conference. We need the whole squad, especially in a week with three games against opponents when you always have to go over the limit in order to be competitive. I just got the statistics from our sports scientists. It was Chelsea’s second highest physical output of the whole season, it says what they have invested, but we have outperformed them in these terms so much. The lads were unbelievably on it. You have to be careful, with the experience of a manager. When I speak to the guys they say I’m ready to go. You have to watch them in training, their behaviour, speak with the doctors, physios and sports scientists, see if they’re really ready. There will be some late decisions.”