Leeds United vs Burnley: Injury Updates with 4 Players Out and 7 Doubts for Championship Showdown

Leeds United will face a significant test of their Championship promotion ambitions next weekend when Burnley visits Elland Road.

Both teams have long been considered favorites for a top-two finish, and after the first four matches of the season, they appear well-positioned to contend for those spots.

With the September international break providing both teams with extra preparation time, it also brings potential challenges.

Several players from both squads are on international duty, and there is always the risk of injuries before their return.

Managers Daniel Farke of Leeds United and Scott Parker of Burnley have already faced fitness concerns early in the season and will be hoping that their key players come back without any new issues.

Keeping that in mind, here is the early team news for both clubs ahead of the highly anticipated clash.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke had to cope with the absence of two key first-team players during last week’s 2-0 victory over Hull City.

Dan James and Patrick Bamford both suffered hamstring injuries in the lead-up to the match.

James did not join the Wales squad during the international break and stayed in West Yorkshire to receive treatment.

However, his availability for the Burnley game remains uncertain, pending further updates.

Bamford, who had been battling fitness problems throughout the summer, also suffered what Farke described as a “small setback.”

The initial prognosis suggested he could return within one or two weeks, leaving a slim possibility that he will be available for Burnley, though his involvement remains doubtful.

Meanwhile, Max Wober has been managing a persistent calf issue but was fit enough to be included on the bench recently and played for Austria this week.

There were some concerns over the fitness of Wilfried Gnonto after he was involved in Italy Under-21s’ 7-0 victory against San Marino. The winger took some physical treatment during the match and was substituted at halftime. However, the substitution appears to have been precautionary, as his fitness was not mentioned in the post-match update.

Turning to Burnley, two of their players, Manuel Benson and Maxime Esteve, were initially slated for international duty with Angola and France’s Under-21s, respectively.

However, both players sustained injuries in Burnley’s recent match against Blackburn Rovers and subsequently withdrew from their international commitments.

Parker admitted he was uncertain about the severity of their injuries, as Benson had to leave the field while Esteve appeared to struggle with a hamstring issue.

Burnley midfielder Josh Cullen missed the Blackburn game, but Parker had suggested before the match that he might feature, meaning he could return for the Leeds game.

Long-term absentee Enock Agyei is also likely to be available after the break, while Hannes Delcroix is a “maybe.”

However, Jordan Beyer, Hjalmar Ekdal, Aaron Ramsey, and Nathan Redmond are expected to be sidelined.

On a positive note for Burnley, Jaidon Anthony looks set to make a swift return to Elland Road, where he spent last season on loan.