Huge boost: Phil Hay drops 6-word Thorp Arch update, it's great news for Leeds - opinion

Phil Hay has dropped a promising injury update concerning Leeds United centre-forward Joe Gelhardt.

In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic journalist suggested that the 19-year-old was left on the bench for the 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday afternoon as a precaution, as the England U21 international had only returned to first-team training on Friday after recovering from a dead leg.

In his post, Hay said: “Gelhardt only returned to training yesterday [on Friday].”

Considering the fact that Leeds’ first-choice centre-forward, Patrick Bamford, will remain out of action for around another four weeks, the news that Gelhardt is back in training with Jesse Marsch’s squad, as well as the suggestion that the teenager was only left out of the Watford win as a precaution, is undoubtedly great news for the Whites.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated youngster has become a regular feature in Leeds’ first team this season, having been selected in the Whites’ 20-man matchday squad on 25 occasions, going on to make 14 appearances – two of which have come as starts.

However, the £16.5k-per-week prodigy has far from just made up the numbers for Jesse Marsch’s side, as he has often had an important impact within games, bagging two goals and registering three assists in the top flight this term.

As such, while the Whites’ victory over Watford afforded the club some much-needed breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone, with the 48-year-old manager being well aware that his side need at least three more points to ensure their Premier League survival this season, the news that – barring any further setbacks – Gelhardt will be fit to face Crystal Palace on April 25 will certainly have come as a huge boost to the American and his