Sky Sports pundit does not expect Leeds United to follow same Premier League pattern as Sheffield United as injury problems are highlighted

Sky Sports pundit and commentator Don Goodman does not believe Leeds United will follow the same path as Sheffield United in their second season back in the Premier League.
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The Leeds-born former Bradford City, West Brom and Wolves player feels that injuries to key players in the early part of the season has played a major part in the Whites struggles and does not believe they will be relegation candidates.

Marcelo Bielsa's side have won just one of their nine league games this term but have been without the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Brazil international Raphinha for multiple games this campaign.

INJURY WOES: Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.INJURY WOES: Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.
INJURY WOES: Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.
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Leeds' Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League last season after enjoying a stand-out campaign the previous year.

However, Goodman does not foresee that happening to Leeds, who secured a top-half finish last season but have so far struggled to replicate that form.

“I think sometimes the second season thing can be more psychological and if you’re the club people are talking about," he told FreeSuperTips.

“In Sheffield United’s case, it’s about how you get through the tough periods and there wasn’t any point last season that they got through the tough periods.

INJURY WOES: Player turned pundit Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.INJURY WOES: Player turned pundit Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.
INJURY WOES: Player turned pundit Don Goodman believes Leeds United's injuries are one of the main factors behind their slow start to the Premier League season. Pictures: Getty Images.
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“I don’t categorise Leeds in the same bracket, I really don’t.

“I’ve been covering the Championship for Sky Sports for about 15 years now and Leeds and Wolves are two of the best teams to get promoted out of the Championship.

“I don’t really hold the same fears for Leeds as I did for Sheffield United, but they need wins, and they need them soon."

Last season it was highlighted how the then reigning league champions Liverpool struggled to defend their title as they were hampered by numerous injury problems. But with key players now back, they have regained the form that saw them finish top of the league in 2019-20.

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Goodman believes it is not the number of injuries that have impacted Leeds but the quality of the players who have been forced to sit on the sidelines.

He added: “They’ve always been able to manage the injury list, but I think the difference this time is that it’s injuries to key players.

“There’s been two injuries to the two most crucial players that really make a difference when Leeds don’t have them and that’s Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips.

“If you take those two out of that Leeds United side and what they try and do with their brand of football, it can become very difficult.

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“They haven’t got another Patrick Bamford at the football club, and they certainly don’t have another Kalvin Phillips.”

Leeds will hope to earn their second win of the campaign on Sunday when they travel to Norwich City on Sunday.