Daniel Farke’s Whites are now in the midst of a nine-day spell without a game following Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers in which Leeds blew a huge chance to jump back into the Championship’s automatic promotion places.
United’s next game, their third-last of the campaign, presents a trip to Middlesbrough which was moved to a Monday night kick-off due to coverage by Sky Sports. Boro did Leeds a favour at the weekend by holding key title rivals Ipswich Town to a 1-1 draw at Portman Road, but for which the damage of United’s defeat to Blackburn would have been worse. Boro also held Ipswich amid a stack of injuries and Leeds have their problems too. In total, eight players have already been ruled out of next Monday night’s Riverside showdown for which five more are doubtful and two more are back. Here, we run through the very early team news from both camps.
1. Luke Ayling (out)
Ayling has thrived at Boro since joining the Riversiders on loan but it's only a loan deal and Ayling is ineligible to face his parent club. Photo: George Wood
2. Sam Greenwood (out)
Greenwood is in the same boat - only on loan at Boro so won't be facing his parent club. A big double blow for Michael Carrick's side. Photo: Mike Hewitt
3. Pascal Struijk (out)
Struijk's season is over following surgery on his groin injury that has kept him out since Boxing Day. Photo: Jess Hornby
4. Stuart Dallas (out)
Dallas announced last week that he would be retiring at the end of the season having not featured since suffering a femoral fracture against Manchester City back in April 2022. Now United's task is to win promotion for him. Photo: Ed Sykes
5. Marcus Forss (out)
Boro's Finland international forward Forss is out for the season due to a hamstring injury. Photo: Owen Humphreys
6. Riley McGree (out)
Australian international forward McGree is another Boro player to have been ruled out for the rest of the season, in his case due to a foot injury. Photo: Stu Forster