LEEDS HANDED MAJOR INJURY BOOST

Leeds United have been given a major boost on the injury front ahead of their FA Cup third round clash with fellow Premier League side West Ham United. The Whites have been handed a major injury boost with the news that star striker Patrick Bamford could return to their squad for the FA Cup third round tie at the home of the Hammers.

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Marcelo Bielsa is the Leeds United manager and he revealed that England international Bamford could return to the squad ahead of the FA Cup trip to East London in his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the game.

Bamford has missed a lot of football matches for Leeds United this season due to injury. He made his return after almost three months out with injury during the Premier League home clash with London team Brentford at the start of last month and he would go on to pick up a thigh problem in the process of celebrating a stoppage time equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw against the Bees after coming on as a second half substitute. Since picking up the injury against newly promoted club Brentford, Bamford has missed the last four Leeds United games, all in the league.

Bielsa could miss as many as nine players for the West Ham game as a result of injury. England international midfielder Kalvin Phillips will definitely miss the game as he continues to recuperate from a serious hamstring injury. The Englishman is not expected back in action until March at the earliest.

Club skipper Liam Cooper is also a long-term absentee and he will miss the Hammers game. The Scottish defender has been out of action for a month due to a hamstring problem and he’s not expected back as well until March. Other players such as Rodrigo Moreno, Joe Gelhardt, Charlie Cresswell and Pascal Struijk will also miss the game.