Leeds United striker Rodrigo has been ruled out for six to eight weeks after picking up an injury during the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.
Leeds haven’t been lucky when it has come to injury problems in the Premier League this season, and Rodrigo has had more than his fair share of setbacks since joining from Valencia in 2020.
The club’s top scorer this season came off the bench in the second half of the win over Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup, but picked up an injury that has now been confirmed to keep him out for two months.
Leeds face a number of crucial fixtures in the coming weeks and losing their top scorer for that time is a blow that is tough to cope with for Jesse Marsch.
Here, we look at two players who are going to have to step up in the absence of Rodrigo…
Patrick Bamford
Obviously, the man who is most importantly going to have to step up to the plate is number nine, Patrick Bamford.
His return to fitness looked to have given Marsch a huge selection headache in the positive sense, as he scored three goals in two games against Aston Villa and Cardiff City, before notching two assists last weekend.
Bamford’s overall play is very clearly something that makes Leeds tick in the final third, so having him back could bring the Whites far closer to the peak of their powers.
Hopefully, the striker’s injury nightmares are behind him, because now is the time where Leeds cannot afford Bamford to hit more setbacks and patchy form.
Georginio Rutter
Leeds would not have spent a potential £36million on Georginio Rutter without the thought that he would need to be a crucial player now and in the future.
He’s unlikely to lead the line while Bamford is fit, but the versatility he shows to play anywhere across the pitch while offering a great deal with and without the ball is something to be really excited about.
Playing likely off the right, his link-up with Bamford is something that Leeds need to materialise almost instantly to climb up the table.
The club played the long game in signing a new striker that is only 20, but such a financial commitment suggests their confidence of an impact right now.