Leeds United have been handed a blow as it has emerged that one member of their squad will miss the next seven games as they battle for the Championship title under Daniel Farke.
Leeds in pole position for Championship title
Despite their FA Cup defeat to Millwall, Leeds United are still on for a successful season after play-off heartbreak last time around.
Farke’s side are sitting pretty atop the Championship, two points clear of Sheffield United in second and a further three ahead of Burnley, meaning that they sit in pole position to be promoted back to the Premier League come the end of the campaign.
They have been the best side in England’s second tier when it comes to finding the back of the net, while they also unsurprisingly have a strong defence which has helped them keep 19 clean sheets already this campaign, the second most in the division.
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With 15 games of the season left, the Yorkshire outfit are firm favourites to be promoted, but they will be wary of previous slips and their terrible record in the play-offs, with the memory of their 1-0 defeat to Southampton last season still fresh.
Now, they have been dealt a blow on the injury front as they hunt for the title.
Farke confirms Leeds injury blow
Now though, Farke has confirmed a serious injury to one member of his Leeds squad.
That comes in the shape of defender Max Wober, who is now expected to spend a significant period on the sidelines. The defender was not part of the squad that fell to defeat in the FA Cup against Millwall and has had a setback.
And quizzed on the fitness of his squad, Farke confirmed that the Austrian international was now set to be sidelined until the next international break, missing seven games in the process.
“He has an ongoing knee problem and will need surgery as quickly as possible and will be out until after the next international break”, the Leeds boss explained. “He will have surgery and be out for six weeks.”
It leaves Leeds short in defence, with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk Farke’s only senior centre-back options for the foreseeable future, which could mean that bowing out of the FA Cup could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
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Games Wober will miss through injury |
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Watford (Away) |
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Sunderland (Home) |
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Sheffield United (Away) |
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West Brom (Home) |
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Portsmouth (Away) |
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Millwall (Home) |
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QPR (Away) |
Though he had only featured six times this season, Wober earned high praise from the Leeds boss in December after filling in at left-back in their win over Derby County.
“Many compliments to Max. Not the easiest start to the season for him with many injuries. He’s normally a centre-back and not naturally made for the left-back role, but he put a shift in and was rock solid defensively,” Farke eulogised after the victory.
Though he was not allowed to leave the club in the summer window, his future is likely to be revisited this summer as he enters the final two years of his £35,000 a week deal at Elland Road.
For now though, his injury means that added pressure will be put on the remaining defensive options to stay fit in order to avoid the season derailing in the late stages and barring Leeds’ return to the Premier League.
