The Yorkshire side has received a welcome boost.
Leeds United have received a huge injury boost as a key player returns to action ahead of the closing stretch.
Leeds stall after historic winning streak
The Yorkshire club is flying this season under Daniel Farke, but they may require a record points total to be promoted automatically from the Championship at the conclusion of the season.
They currently sit in third position, two points behind Ipswich Town and six points ahead of fourth-placed Southampton, despite the fact that the Saints have a game in hand over the teams above them.
With 76 points, Leeds can theoretically reach 106 by the end of the season if they maintain their amazing recent run, but even if they collect many fewer, they will make history.
The current record points tally for the second automatic promotion place is 93 points, and no team with more than 90 points (Sunderland 1997/98) has ever failed to be promoted.
However, with Ipswich currently on 78 points, there is a good probability that 93 points will not be enough to secure automatic promotion (5 wins and 5 loses from their next 10 games would bring them to that level).
| he run in | |
| Ipswich Town vs… | Leeds United vs… |
| Cardiff City (A) | Sheffield Wednesday (A) |
| Sheffield Wednesday (H) | Millwall (H) |
| Blackburn Rovers (A) | Watford (A) |
| Southampton (H) | Hull City (H) |
| Norwich City (A) | Coventry City (A) |
| Watford (H) | Sunderland (H) |
| Middlesbrough (H) | Blackburn Rovers (H) |
| Coventry City (A) | Middlesbrough (A) |
| Hull City (A) | QPR (A) |
| Huddersfield Town (H) | Southampton (H) |
To break that record, Leeds will need all the aid they can get, and they have received a timely update.
Leeds get a boost as a key player prepares to return.
Leeds have received a big injury boost with the news that Pascal Struijk will make his long-awaited return from injury in the coming weeks. The defender underwent surgery in January after suffering an adductor injury over Christmas and has yet to return. However, he is currently back in training, preparing for his long-awaited return to Championship action.
Daniel Farke revealed that he feels Struijk can make a difference, praising the return of his ‘important player’.
“It feels a bit crazy that we didn’t speak about him last two months and thank God we didn’t have to because our defensive behaviour was spot on” , he said.
“He is a cornerstone of our future. We play without such an important player for two months; once he returns to team training, it’s not as if you can just click a button and he’ll be back at his best. I expect him to return to team training after the international break at the latest. Hopefully, as quickly as possible, I’ll be back in top shape.”
He also stated that he believes Struijk might be a ‘major factor’ in the final ten games of the season, albeit he admits he may not return until after the international break. Leeds now hold the best defensive record in the Championship, conceding only 28 times all season. It is possible that the defender is not risked given his subordinates’ impressive performances, but it is still a significant boost to Farke’s squad planning given Struijk’s lengthy layoff.
Leeds face Sheffield Wednesday away on Friday night, with the Owls fighting for their Championship survival in a crowded relegation battle.
