Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa gives updates on Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper

LEEDS UNITED head coach Marcelo Bielsa admits that he is unsure when injury-hit Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford will return - with the England international remaining on the sidelines and unavailable for this week's Premier League away games against Aston Villa and Everton.
Patrick Bamford. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.Patrick Bamford. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Patrick Bamford. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Bamford has endured a tough time on the injury front this term after initially suffering an ankle injury in the game at Newcastle United last September.

After missing most of the autumn programme, he briefly returned to the side, only to sustain a separate hamstring issue against Brentford in December.

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Having shrugged off that particular problem, Bamford has now been hit by a foot problem to further delay his first appearance in 2022.

Better news sees Jamie Shackleton, Adam Forshaw and Charlie Cresswell return to the fray, while Bielsa confirmed that Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips are in their final stages of their recovery from operations.

Bielsa said: "Shackleton, Forshaw and Cresswell are all healthy now. The four players we still don't count on are (Junior) Firpo - who should be available this weekend, but because his injury involved his tendon, we may be cautious with his return - Cooper, Phillips - who both should be recovered by the beginning of March - and Bamford.

"Bamford has an injury (which) we cannot predict when he will return. It depends on the pain going away, so he can start jogging again. Since the injury started, the pain hasn't gone away.

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"Of course, he is going through the demanding treatments for the injury he has.

"Cooper and Phillips are in the final stages of their recovery from their operations. Firpo is in the final stages of his recovery. He will be available next weekend or the following one.

"Bamford has not improved. He continues with the problems at the bottom of his foot and he has not started jogging, so his situation continues the same way."