Leeds United will begin their second season back in the Premier League with Saturday’s clash at Nottingham Forest for which seven players are out or doubtful but with two others now back.
Daniel Farke’s Whites completed their pre-season friendlies with Saturday’s 4-0 win at home to FC Augsburg which rounded off a very decent set of results over the course of the summer.
After beginning their tour of the USA with a narrow defeat to Wrexham, Farke’s men beat both Sunderland and Liverpool in America before returning home to then defeat RB Leipzig at Elland Road.
Leeds then shared a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in Dublin before Saturday’s triumph against Augsburg and the good results have been achieved despite injuries to key men.
Forest, meanwhile, also have key men doubtful for Saturday’s first game of the season for which two other stars are now returning.
Here, we run through the early injury news from both camps combined which totals seven out or doubtful but two others back.
1. OUT: Morgan Gibbs-White
A big fresh blow for the hosts, Forest star Gibbs-White playing the full duration of Saturday's league visit of Leeds but boss Oliver Glasner revealing on Monday that the midfielder suffered a knee injury in the game and would definitely miss the cup tie. Glasner said: "Morgan Gibbs-White will miss tomorrow’s game. He got the ball and twisted his ankle, so the MCL was a little bit overstretched and he has some pain in his knee. There is no structural damage, but there’s no point in risking him. We’re working really hard to get him fit for the Liverpool game on Saturday, but he can’t make tomorrow’s game." | Getty Images
2. OUT: Nicola Savona
Forest's Italian defender Savona missed the end of last season after undergoing surgery on his knee in March and Glasner revealed last week that the 23-year-old had suffered a minor setback in his recovery. Glasner said Savona was likely looking at another two weeks out and confirmed on Monday that the defender was still out. | Getty Images
3. OUT: Ryan Yates
Forest captain Yates sat out the club’s final pre-season friendly against Brest and Glasner revealed at Thursday's pre-match press conference that the skipper would also miss the opening weekend visit of Leeds. It is thought that Yates only has a minor issue but either way Glasner said on Monday that he was still out. | Getty Images
4. OUT: Gabi Gudmundsson
Whites left back Gudmundsson suffered a muscular injury in the win against Liverpool in America, boss Farke telling the press the following week that the Swede was probably looking at four weeks out and could be doubtful for both of United's first two Premier League games. Gudmundsson missed Saturday's league clash at Forest and Farke confirmed on Monday that the Swede was still out but that he could be back in team training later this week. | Getty Images
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5. OUT: Willy Gnonto
Whites winger Gnonto had impressed in pre-season, particularly as a second-half substitute in the right wing back role against Manchester United in Dublin. Gnonto, though, suffered a hamstring injury against the Red Devils and was ruled out of Saturday's first game of the new season although Farke did say he hoped to have him back in team training soon. Farke said on Monday that Gnonto was still out but also possibly back in team training later this week. Farke said: "Gabi and Willy are not (back) but rehab is in a good way. We expect them also not too long to be to be back in team training, perhaps even at some point during this week. We will see, but this game comes too soon because they have not joined us in team training yet." | Getty Images
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6. OUT: Ilia Gruev
United's Bulgarian international midfielder Gruev suffered a meniscus knee injury in April which ended his season but the 26-year-old was expected to return for pre-season training and named in the travelling party to America. Gruev, though, was not named in any of the matchday squads this summer and Farke said on Monday that Gruev was only back in team training the last few days and that the Bulgarian would need at least two weeks of training before he would be ready for selection. | Mike Egerton/PA Wire