Daniel Farke can unleash 'outstanding' 21-goal Leeds United star vs Stoke City amid potential injury crisis
Leeds United host Stoke City on Easter Monday knowing victory could well be enough for promotion.
Stoke City could be without a single fit senior left-back for Monday’s trip to Leeds United after seeing their two available options pick up injuries during Friday’s defeat of Sheffield Wednesday.
Leeds host the Potters on Monday afternoon knowing victory will all but secure their return to the Premier League, which would be official if they take all three points and Sheffield United fail to beat Burnley. Daniel Farke’s side are within touching distance and seemingly know it, with the post-match reaction to Friday’s 1-0 win at Oxford United telling.
Stoke will arrive at Elland Road unbeaten in five but while Friday’s win over Wednesday virtually guaranteed their safety, it came at a cost with starting left-back Eric Bocat picking up an injury just 13 minutes into the game. His replacement, Jordan Thompson, played a part in the build-up for Million Manhoef’s opener but was later stretchered off with an ankle injury.
Experienced defender Enda Stevens isn’t expected to play again this season and while on-loan Manchester City youngster Josh Wilson-Esbrand was on the bench, Stoke boss Mark Robins admitted he was ‘fit but not really fit’. And so Stoke’s left-back for the final stages of Friday’s win was right-footed winger Lynden Gooch.
"Jordan had done nothing wrong,” Robins told Stoke Live of his initial decision to bench Thompson. “In fact he had been one of the best players last weekend. I think that he would have been disappointed but then he trained properly, he did things properly and he's ready then when he's called upon really early in the game - not only that, but in a different position. That's good because it measures the chISaP6racter of them and he's come in and done really well. I'm hoping for him and for us that he's ok."
Leeds United can unleash Dan James amid Stoke City injury crisis
Given the quick Easter weekend turnaround, it appears unlikely Thompson will be fit to face Leeds if the stretcher and ankle brace are anything to go by, while the ‘fit but not really fit’ Wilson-Esbrand hasn’t played any football since mid-February. That could leave Robins with little option but to start Gooch in what would become a position Leeds can potentially target.
Daniel James was warmly welcomed back into the picture during Friday’s win at Oxford, having missed the previous weekend’s 2-1 defeat of Preston with a hamstring issue. The winger got 15 minutes under his belt at the Kassam Stadium and having passed a late test to feature, could well be in line for a starting spot come Monday.
Willy Gnonto has been steady in James’ absence but without ever really setting the world alight and Farke could turn to his big-game player for one of this season’s biggest games. The Welshman has been Leeds’ most consistent attacker with 12 goals and nine assists leaving him level with Joel Piroe on 21 direct contributions in the league, enough for head coach Farke to label him ‘outstanding’ for this level.
James’ last two goals before that hamstring injury - in a 1-1 draw at Luton and a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough - earned Leeds four points, a return that has proven to be decisive in the final stages of the promotion race. And he looked perfectly fit during a final 15 minutes on Friday that was no walk in the park.
Manor Solomon has taken the baton as tormenter-in-chief in more recent games but to have both fit and firing for three final games is massive. And James in particular could be well-placed to prove the difference again on Monday, particularly if Stoke arrive at Elland Road with no natural left-back option.
Your next Leeds United read: Injury latest from both sides as Whites prepare to host Stoke