Leeds United begin five games that will decide their automatic promotion fate with Saturday’s lunchtime visit of Preston North End - for which blows have left six men out and two more as doubts.
Daniel Farke’s Whites returned to the top of the Championship with Tuesday night’s 1-0 win at Middlesbrough which saw them leapfrog both Sheffield United and Burnley in going from first to third.
Leeds, though, were dealt a new injury blow at The Riverside ahead of this weekend’s quick return to action at home to Preston.
The Lilywhites, under former Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom, also have key men out or doubtful. Here, we run through the injury news from both camps ahead of Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off at Elland Road.
1. Dan James - out
A new blow. Whites winger James suffered a hamstring injury in Tuesday night's win at Boro and the Leeds star is definitely out of this weekend's visit of the Lilywhites. Farke says it will be a tight race to get him back for the Easter weekend double header. | Gary Oakley/PA Wire
2. Ali McCann (out)
One of three Preston players definitely out injured. The Northern Ireland international midfielder suffered a calf injury in last month's goalless draw at home to Swansea City. | Getty Images
3. Jack Whatmough - out
Preston centre-back Whatmough is another Lilywhites player out, the 28-year-old suffering a calf injury in February's FA Cup clash against Wycombe and not expected to feature again this season. | Getty Images
4. Freddie Woodman - out
The Preston keeper is out for the season with an ankle injury. | Getty Images
5. Sam Greenwood - out
Preston's Whites loanee Greenwood is out as he is ineligible to play his parent club. | Getty Images
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6. Pascal Struijk - out
Another new Leeds blow and a very big one, Farke revealing at Friday's pre-match press conference that Struijk's season is now over having fractured a bone in his foot. Struijk does not need surgery but faces ten weeks out. | Getty Images