Joe Gelhardt and Tyler Roberts latest to join Leeds United's lengthy injury list

There is some positive news, though, in that Patrick Bamford should be available for Sunday's FA Cup third round trip to West Ham United after hamstring trouble.

Roberts went off with a muscle injury during a hard-working and inventive Premier League performance against Burnley on Sunday which only lacked finishing. It was his replacement, Gelhardt, who created the third goal for Dan James in a 3-1 win. Now both are set for a spell out of the side.

"As has been happening habitually this season, the players are injuring themselves in the same (playing) position, so to the injury of Bamford and Rodrigo, we add the injury to Tyler

Roberts and Gelhardt, who injured his ankle in training yesterday (Thursday) and is going to be absent for three weeks.

"Tyler Roberts (will be out for) a similar amount of time.

"We don't have a precise date we can anticipate for the return of Rodrigo and Bamford is likely be able to play the game on Sunday."

Rodrigo has not played since November because of a heel problem.

Rounding up the club's other injuries, Bielsa added: "(Kalvin) Phillips and (Liam) Cooper (are out) until March, (Jamie) Shackleton and (Charlie) Cresswell after the (January/February) international break and Rodrigo and Pascal (Struijk) are injuries where we can't predict when they're going to be available."

Asked if the absences could mean any debuts at the London Stadium, he replied: "Responding to the suggestion I received in a press conference previously I can't give any information that would infer the formation (of the team)."

Bielsa once named his entire starting XI for a December 2020 match against West Ham 24 hours earlier and was understandably bemused by what he called the "backlash" before and after the 2-1 home defeat.