Phil Hay: "Brilliant" Leeds player now also out injured alongside Sam Byram
Leeds United are set to be without another injured player alongside Sam Byram for this evening’s trip to Sunderland, Phil Hay reports.
Leeds injury news
The Whites head into tonight’s trip to the Stadium of Light in fine form under Daniel Farke, unbeaten in their last seven Championship fixtures – winning six of those. They have done it with a fairly settled side as well, with Archie Gray establishing himself at right-back, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk at centre-back and Byram at left-back.
However, Byram suffered another hamstring issue on the weekend as Leeds won 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers and now looks set to miss three weeks of action as a result. Junior Firpo is also currently sidelined, leaving Farke with a decision to make at left-back against the Black Cats.
Sam Byram injury history
Injury
Games missed
Season
Hamstring
40
2019/20
Knee
39
2018/19
Hamstring
15
2017/18
Hamstring
17
2016/17
Junior Firpo injury history
Injury
Games missed
Season
Knee
6
2023/24
Knee
7
2022/23
Ligament
4
2021/22
Hamstring
4
2021/22
One player who could have filled in at full-back is Jamie Shackleton, labelled as “brilliant” by former Millwall boss Gary Rowett, however, another injury update has emerged which isn’t good news for Farke and Leeds.
Hay took to X on Monday to relay comments from Farke’s pre-Sunderland press conference. When it came to injuries, the German said that Byram is out for three weeks and that Shackleton has a “glute injury” and also “won't be involved”.
Djed Spence at left-back
By the looks of things, summer arrival Djed Spence, naturally a right-back could be the man to fill in at left-back. The Spurs loanee was the man who replaced Byram at Ewood Park in the second half and featured at left-back as Crysencio Summerville scored a second in front of him to secure another three points for Leeds. It is a position that is unfamiliar for the 23-year-old, though, as can be seen below throughout his career.
Djed Spence career stats
Position
Number of games
Goals
Assists
Right-back
93
3
4
Right midfield
68
3
4
Left-back
5
0
0
Centre-back
1
0
0
Another option could be moving Struijk out to left-back and bringing Liam Cooper in at centre-back, but with Rodon and Struijk seemingly settled and finding solid form, Spence could be set or a run of games in the starting line-up at left-back, making this one to watch for tonight’s meeting.
With the January transfer window just around the corner as well, Leeds may need to just get to the New Year in good shape before targeting a left-back, with Hay relaying a hint from Farke on a new left-back addition.
"Farke indicating that he's giving through to recruiting at left-back in January – and was thinking about that even before Byram/Firpo got injured. Farke says Firpo is close to returning to training."