Phil Hay: 'Marsch thinks' Leeds star could now be out for three weeks - report

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford could be fit for the final two Premier League games of the season despite initial fears he would not return this campaign.

The 28-year-old was arguably the Whites’ star man last season, scoring 17 league goals, but things have panned out very differently this time around.

Bamford has been hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign, being limited to just seven league starts, which has played a part in the Whites’ struggles.

The striker is currently out with a foot injury which was initially expected to make him miss the rest of the campaign, but Jesse Marsch has revealed he could now miss just the next three weeks.

Providing his thoughts in a Q&A for The Athletic on Monday ahead of Leeds’ trip to Crystal Palace, Phil Hay claimed that Bamford could return for the last two league games of the season, which are at home to Brighton and away to Brentford.

The journalist shared a prospective return date from the Whites manager which essentially means missing the next three weeks, claiming:

“Still no Patrick Bamford [v Palace] but Jesse Marsch thinks he might make it back for the last two games of the season.”

This is a potentially huge boost for Leeds, as they find themselves in danger of getting sucked back into a relegation battle between themselves, Everton and Burnley.

Bamford’s finishing ability means that just one chance could be needed in one of those final two matches, should Marsch’s side still not be safe at that point.

In many ways, the hope is that Leeds have avoided relegation by then and Bamford doesn’t need to be risked, but having him in contention would feel significant, providing the Whites with proven Premier League firepower.

In other news, Hay has dropped a