Leeds United team news: Doubts over two players – and a manager

Leeds United will be without the in-form Noah Okafor for games against West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion, but the hope is that Daniel Farke will be available.

The Leeds manager missed Friday's pre-match press conference with illness, but his assistant Edmund Riemer is hoping he will be back for Monday's game at Tottenham Hotspur, which could be the night his team book their place in next season's Premier League.

But Okafor is now aiming to be fit for the final game of the campaign, at West Ham United, and as a player not guaranteed of his place in Switzerland's World Cup squad, he will be anxious to do so.

Okafor has scored six goals in his last seven league but has been struggling with calf problems lately.

"I think as the manager already mentioned last week, Gabbi (Gudmundsson) will be out for this week and then we need to assess him on a daily basis, so hopefully he can be with us as soon as possible.

"Then we've got another one with Noah, who picked up a calf strain, so will miss the next two games.

"We are hopeful that he will be available back for the last game. He sustained an injury after the FA Cup game (against Chelsea) in the calf. It was the right calf where he got a contusion.

"In the Burnley game it was the left calf, so he will likely be out for the next two games.

CALF PROBLEM: Noah Okafor (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)placeholder image
CALF PROBLEM: Noah Okafor (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

"But we are hopeful that he will be back for the last game."

Pascal Struijk is a minor doubt for Monday, and as Leeds only left-footed defender without Gudmundsson, Leeds will be hoping the central defender pulls through.

"Pascal's not going to train today with us," said Riemer before Thursday's session.

"He has a hip contusion, he got a hit. He will train individually, but we are hopeful that he will be available."

Tottenham vs Leeds: Injury update: Has Daniel Farke recovered from illness, will James Maddison play? Photo: 
Getty Imagesplaceholder image
Tottenham vs Leeds: Injury update: Has Daniel Farke recovered from illness, will James Maddison play? Photo: Getty Images

As for Farke: "He's ill. He didn't sound too good, but I'm pretty sure he will be alright (for Monday's game)."

If Arsenal win at West Ham on Sunday, that will make Leeds mathematically safe from relegation. If not, the Whites will need to match the Hammers' weekend result against a Spurs team who are deep in the relegation battle themselves, but have been showing signs of life under new manager Roberto de Zerbi.

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