'More scary' - Marcelo Bielsa hoping Aston Villa star makes Leeds United clash
LEEDS United head coach Marcelo Bielsa hopes Aston Villa's star man Jack Grealish is fit to face the Whites in Saturday's Premier League clash at Elland Road.
England international midfielder Grealish was forced to miss Sunday's 2-1 loss at home Leicester City amidst reports that the 25-year-old had suffered a setback in training, believed to be a shin injury.
Reports then suggested that Grealish was looking at around a month out but Villa boss Dean Smith said at the weekend that he could not provide a specific time frame and still held hopes that the midfielder could feature in Saturday evening's clash at Elland Road.
Asked how the fact that Grealish was an injury doubt could affect his side's preparations, Whites boss Bielsa said he always hoped his team's opponents featured their best players to add extra stimulus to his side.
"On one side he is a great player, a player who can unbalance," said Bielsa.
"I always prefer that the opponents have their best players available because even if that fortifies a team, the best players make their teams more scary, more difficult to face.
"They are also a stimulus for us to face such players who are playing so well, to neutralise them and looking to impose yourself over an opponent with their best players and not one who is debilitated.
"But they are a team who have the players to cover any absences."
Providing an update on Grealish after Sunday's 2-1 loss at home to Leicester, Villa boss Smith said: "Jack had some discomfort on Friday afternoon so we pulled him out of training, assessed him and didn't think he was right for the game.
"It's not a re-occurrence of a longstanding injury or an old injury.
"It's not going to be a long-term injury but I'll be guided by the medical staff as to how long he'll be out and Jack himself.
"I can't tell you anymore than that really."
Asked if it was a case of taking it game by game, Smith said: "Pretty much, yeah. If I'm an optimist maybe he'll be back for Leeds or, if not, Sheffield United but I have to be guided by him and the medical staff and see how it is.
"I certainly don't put the loss today down to not having Jack Grealish in the team. Yes, Jack Grealish will enhance any team he's that good a player but we had a good team out there today to win the game but we didn't play well enough first half."
Smith is also without full back Matty Cash who is facing at least a few weeks out with a hamstring injury, joining Grealish, Wesley and Kortney Hause on the sidelines.
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Thank you Laura Collins