Leeds United’s Daniel Farke shares key injury update on three players prior to the Sunderland match.
Leeds United's injury troubles deepen following the 1-1 draw against Norwich City on Tuesday night at Carrow Road, with Ilia Gruev becoming the latest player to join the injury list after departing in the 20th minute.
After the recent draw, manager Daniel Farke confirmed that midfielder Ilia Gruev sustained a knee injury, forcing him to leave the match.
Gruev now joins a growing list of injured players, including Ethan Ampadu, Manor Solomon, Dan James, Isaach Schmidt, and Max Wober.
This injury adds to the difficulties in the midfield, especially since Ampadu, who can play both midfield and defense, is unlikely to return this year.
The squad continues to dwindle in numbers with each passing match, putting additional pressure on Farke and his team as they face a packed schedule.
Leeds will take on promotion rival Sunderland on Friday night at the Stadium of Light, marking the end of a grueling week with three matches.
Both teams will be eager to secure all three points to strengthen their bids for the top two automatic promotion spots.
In a media briefing ahead of the game against Sunderland, Farke provided updates on Gruev, Isaach Schmidt, and Manor Solomon.
“We are still waiting for further assessment on Gruev; he will undergo a scan later today, and I’ll have more information this evening,” Farke stated (h/t Yorkshire Evening Post).
“Currently, it looks a bit better, and he doesn’t feel too bad, but we need to wait for the scan results.”
Farke added, “As always after a competitive game, there are a few knocks, but no one has been ruled out for the upcoming match.
We have several players who have been injured over the past few weeks, and I don’t expect any of them to return.
Isaach Schmidt seems to be improving, so we will assess him during our last training session before the game. If he passes that, he could be included, but I anticipate he will be the only one potentially returning.”
Regarding Solomon, Farke mentioned, “We hoped he could be involved today, but it wasn’t feasible. The game is likely too soon for him, so we have to work with the players available.”
Following this match, Leeds will have a brief respite due to the FIFA international break. However, several players will depart to join their national teams, which increases the risk of further injuries.
