Leeds United's 'cruise control' defender is insurance against potential season-ending decision for Pascal Struijk

One of the remnants of Leeds' ninth-placed finish in the 2020-21 Premier League, years before his prime at 24 but experienced enough to have worn the captain's armband for much of the first half of the season, centre-back Struijk was a key figure before succumbing to an adductor injury over Christmas.

So the decision Leeds will soon have to take over whether to send him for season-ending surgery or return him to the fold ought to be pivotal to their Championship promotion hopes.

Yet in the 13 league games Struijk since his injury, the Whites have conceded just four goals, losing only the first of those matches, at West Bromwich Albion.

Since Ampadu moved to left-sided centre-back at Cardiff City in mid-January, Leeds are unbeaten in the Championship, eight points better off than anyone else. Win by more than one goal at home to Millwall on Sunday, and they will go top of the table for the first time this season.

If all goes well for Struijk, Leeds could have an embarrassment of riches when the competition resumes at Easter after the international break. If not, there should be no need for panic.

"He's got a fibre cartilage injury and there are always two ways to treat this," explained manager Daniel Farke. "Either you go for a surgery but that would have meant he's out for the whole season or you go the conservative route.

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"The doctors recommended a conservative route, to go for injection therapy, and they were quite hopeful this would be beneficial for him and we could have been back in team training after the international break for the run-in.

"It has progressed really well but the last five per cent is missing.

"The next 10 days will be decisive to say either he is back in team training after the other side of the international break and capable of handling the load or we have him back for the run-in (there will be eight matches left).

"Or we have to go the other way and he has to go for surgery and is out for the whole season but at least we have him back for pre-season."

The other big consolation would be that in Ampadu, Leeds have a replacement who is not just outstanding in two positions – before Struijk's injury he played in central midfield – but ridiculously durable.

So far this season the only Championship minutes the Wales international has missed were when he was substituted in the 90th minute of Christmas games against Preston North End and West Brom. Even 18-year-old Archie Gray, who received his first England Under-21 call-up on Friday, cannot beat that.

"I think it's credit to his quality but also his personality that it looks like he's more or less in cruise control," said of Ampadu, who has also taken over the captain's armband.

"At the moment you have to say he's quite impressive with his consistency otherwise he couldn't be there with such impressive defending but also what he does in terms of the build-up and leadership for us is quite remarkable.

"I always want to have him on the pitch as long as he looks that sharp and that prepared.

"I used the (FA) Cup game at Plymouth to leave him out for the starting line-up and even then he was a bit disappointed because he wants to play very game.

"I love his mentality and he does a lot between the games to recover in the perfect way. He's very professional and mature for his relatively young age. This is why he can show such consistency.

"He's not the only player but definitely one player in the spotlight in these terms and especially remarkable because in the last years he was not always playing so many games.

"I'm pretty pleased with Ethan but we have to assess it every week and hopefully he stays without injuries and in this great shape.

"He's invited to keep delivering such impressive performances."