Leeds: 'Big blow for Jesse Marsch' already at Elland Road

It’s a “big blow” for Leeds manager Jesse Marsch not to have Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips, and Patrick Bamford available, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The American recently replaced Marcelo Bielsa in the Elland Road dugout and will take charge of his first game at Leicester on Sunday, although he won’t be able to call upon the key trio, who are all out injured.

Part of the reason for the downfall under Bielsa was down to Leeds’ wretched injury record this season.

But it’s not just the sheer number of injuries that Leeds have been suffering, it’s the fact that some of their key players have been missing for long periods of time.

Three of those have been Cooper, Phillips, and Bamford, who’ve all missed the best part of three months, and all haven’t played since the draw with Brentford before Christmas.

Since the trio have been sidelined, Leeds have collected just seven points from a possible 33 available in the Premier League and have been dragged into a relegation battle.

But Marsch will be hoping his arrival will bring an upturn in results, starting with a difficult trip to Leicester on Sunday, although he won’t have arguably three of his most important players available to him at the King Power Stadium.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s the core of their success, the foundation that this side was built on under Bielsa when he came in, so it’s a big blow for Marsch not to have figureheads in the side like that. “

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The Athletic recently reported that the trio were all on the verge of returning to action and were in line to return to Marsch’s first home game as Leeds manager against Aston Villa on 10 March.

However, while Marcelo Bielsa was