Whites boss Daniel Farke made ten changes to his team for United’s most recent outing in Tuesday night’s clash at Watford which arrived three days on from the club’s FA Cup exit at home to Millwall. Those ten changes, though, saw Farke revert to exactly the same team that lined up for the previous midweek league clash at Coventry City.
The Championship wins against Watford and Coventry have kept Leeds very much in pole position in their Championship promotion and title quest, despite having dropped down to second place and behind Sheffield United. Saturday’s 1-0 win for the Blades at Luton Town saw Chris Wilder’s side leapfrog Leeds into top spot but only by a single point and with Leeds having a game in hand.
That game in hand now comes against a big automatic promotion rival in a fourth-placed Sunderland side who will line up at Elland Road sat seven points behind Farke’s Whites. The Black Cats kept in touch with the three teams above them through Wednesday night’s 2-0 win at home to Luton Town.
Their progress has also been made with several big players out injured although Black Cats boss Le Bris revealed boosts on the team news front at his pre-match press conference. Farke, meanwhile, had news of a Leeds setback as he conducted his pre-match press and here we run through the injury news from both teams with six out and one doubt but three players returning.
7. Niall Huggins (out)
Sunderland's former Whites youngster Huggins remains on the comeback trail from knee surgery, required after a significant injury as he fell awkwardly in the 3-0 defeat at home to Coventry City of December 2023. Photo: Joe Giddens
8. Max Wober (out)
United's Austrian international defender Wober has had successful surgery on his knee issue and is expected back in around six weeks' time, just after the next international break in March. Photo: George Wood
9. Patrick Bamford (out)
It had been hoped that Whites no 9 Bamford would return to training this week ahead of Monday night's visit of Sunderland but the striker suffered a setback in his rehab process and is now looking at around another ten days out. Whites boss Daniel Farke now expects the forward to return to training 'more or less' after a week on Monday's clash at Sheffield United. Photo: George Wood
10. Ahmed Abdullahi (doubt)
Sunderland's Nigerian youth international forward Abdullahi has now recovered from groin surgery and the 20-year-old netted a hat-trick in midweek for the club's under-21s. The striker is back available as an option but Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris had spoken about giving the 20-year-old a full game for the 21s before returning to the first team. As such, it is doubtful that he will be in the mix to face Leeds. Photo: DIRK WAEM