Injury News

Team news: Adam Forshaw details emerge as Leeds United absence drags on

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Image for Team news: Adam Forshaw details emerge as Leeds United absence drags on

Marcelo Bielsa has provided a fitness update ahead of Leeds United’s home clash with fellow promoted side Fulham on Saturday.

Leeds kicked off their Premier League campaign with an unfortunate 4-3 defeat away to Liverpool in which they controlled large portions of the game and nullified a lot of their threat from open play whilst creating a lot of chances down the other end.

Goals from Jack Harrison, Patrick Bamford, and Mateusz Klich were not enough to see Leeds get a result at Anfield thanks to Mo Salah’s late penalty but the performance had a lot more positives than negatives to note.

Up next is a return to Elland Road for the first time since Leeds lifted the Championship title against Charlton Athletic back in mid-July, where they welcome Scott Parker’s Fulham to West Yorkshire.

Leeds will be looking to continue in their promising manner after giving Liverpool the fight of their lives last weekend, but knowing this time that a win at home should be the aim.

Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t had to contend with too many fitness issues yet aside from new signings bedding into the squad, but one seemingly never-ending issue that the squad has faced for around a year now is the absence of Adam Forshaw.

Having played most recently for the club away to Charlton in September, the central midfielder sustained a hip injury that has kept him sidelined since, even forcing him into surgery to speed up the recovery process.

With the end of last season delayed until June, it has given Forshaw much more chance at having an impact in the Premier League this season and Marcelo Bielsa has provided an update on his road to recovery.

Speaking ahead of the Fulham game, Bielsa said this on Forhsaw’s fitness (via LeedsLive): “There is no new injuries from the last few days. Forshaw is taking part in collective training today apart from any actual playing of football. Next week his rehabilitation will continue.”

It’s been a long, tiring road for Forshaw to gain fitness to the point where he’s even involved in the first-team sessions but he looks like he’s edging closer.

You’ve got to feel sorry for him after such an unfortunate injury that seemed relatively innocuous at first.

His impact at the start of the 19/20 season was brilliant, allowing Leeds to shake off the ghosts of the play-off defeat in the season before, playing with immense confidence and dominating games from start to finish.

It might be a struggle for Forshaw push someone out of a starting berth but having real strength in depth on his return will stand Leeds in good stead for the season.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.