Marcelo Bielsa’s insistence on maintaining a lean, pared-down squad was met with raised brows amongst some Whites fans.
However, the general consensus amongst fans was ‘n Bielsa we trust’, Leeds United fans choosing to trust their new manager implicitly when it came to player selection. That faith has been repaid, the Whites currently atop the table ahead of this weekend’s game against a dangerous West Brom side.
Whilst the faith may still be being kept, there is still some palpable concern that such a thin squad will be stretched beyond resources if the current spate of injuries continues to mount. Yet, ‘continuing to mount’ it does, the latest addition to the treatment tables at Elland Road being young starlet Tom Pearce.
In the Instagram story video (above), the young Whites left-back is pictured in a protective boot over that all-important left foot. The 20-year-old, who signed as a youngster at Elland Road from Everton’s youth set-up, has played twice in this season’s Sky Bet Championship – featuring for 72 minutes. He’s also turned out twice for Leeds in their Carabao Cup campaign – a campaign that was ended by Preston North End.
With bodies thin on the ground at Elland Road, losing another one will soon not be an option. With the Whites being stretched beyond thin, adding another to the rota isn’t ideal.
However, Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) journalist Phil Hay calms the nerves somewhat with the following. In a YEP article, Hay stresses that the injury isn’t as bad as it looks and that the overboot is a protective measure.
Hay says that a return will be on the cards after the resumption of football after the upcoming international week. On this he says “a bruised metatarsal is not expected to sideline him [Pearce] beyond the weekend.”
Leeds are in action against a dangerously strong West Brom side tomorrow, a game that Pearce will obviously not feature in. He will return to training after this weekend’s game and during the international break.
