Leeds United winger Dan James addresses injury concern after Sheffield United win
Leeds United’s in-form Welshman was spotted with ice around his ankle following Monday night’s win at Bramall Lane.
Dan James has allayed fears of an ankle injury after the Leeds United winger was spotted donning an ice pack following Monday’s 3-1 win at Sheffield United.
Welsh winger James enjoyed another fruitful evening as Leeds came from behind to beat a Championship promotion rival late on for the second time in a row. Daniel Farke’s side were behind with 20 minutes to play once again before a trio of efforts from Junior Firpo, Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe turned the game on its head.
James set up goals one and three, lifting a lovely cross onto Firpo’s head before a simple pass was belted into the Sheffield United goal by Piroe on 90 minutes. The 27-year-old played right through until full-time before joining in with the celebrations, but the presence of an ice pack during his post-match interview was a concern for supporters.
“Just normal, yeah,” James told Sky Sports when quizzed on the strapping. “Every pitch is like sand at the moment! [The ice is] just normal.”
James now has four full days to rest and recover ahead of Saturday’s visit of West Brom to Elland Road, for which there is no suggestion he could be missing. And the Welsh international will be desperate to keep his place in a team that looks unstoppable on current form.
Leeds looked rattled early on at Bramall Lane, with Illan Meslier’s own-goal a culmination of several mistakes, both from him and those in yellow. Ilia Gruev endured a torrid night as Brenden Aaronson struggled with the physicality, while even the previously unflappable Ao Tanaka was unable to settle.
But Farke’s side grew into the first-half and came out from the break with a point to prove, Firpo’s powerful header setting the wheels in motion for another statement comeback win. Tanaka’s deft header came on 89 minutes with Piroe’s rifled effort not long after. Leeds are now five points clear of the second-placed Blades and seven ahead of Burnley in third, but James isn’t getting carried away with 12 games still to play.
“We always knew tonight was a massive game, for them and for us,” the Whites winger added. “It takes us five points clear but there's still a long way to go before the end of the season. Tonight was a massive win, we know Sheffield [United] have to play Burnley still.
“We knew a point would mean we came away still top of the league and it was credit to them coming out knowing that. They really put it on us first-half, got that goal but we know we have goals in the team. We know it'll come to the end and we just have to kick on. For the manager at half-time, it was about getting it to the forwards, not turning opportunities down and I thought we did that. We took our chances in the second-half.”