Leeds United have struggled considerably with injuries throughout the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.
This season, Leeds have been out of luck when it has come to the number of first-team players occupying spaces in the treatment room instead of the starting XI.
Robin Koch, Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper have all spent lengthy periods on the sidelines over the course of the season.
Stuart Dallas' first-half withdrawal against Everton last weekend generated a familiar sinking feeling as the oft-reliable Ulsterman was substituted with an injury.
Dallas did attempt to carry on following a coming together with Alexander Iwobi, but eventually succumbed to the knock.
As yet, there is no word on the severity of Dallas' injury. Marcelo Bielsa was non-committal in his post-match press conference at Goodison Park, admitting he had not received a report on the extent of Dallas' problem.
"Sincerely, I cant answer you here because I haven't been able to hear the report yet," Bielsa said of the versatile man's injury.
It is Dallas' versatility that makes any injury lay-off a touch more problematic, affecting Leeds' squad depth in particular. This season, the 30-year-old has played several different positions, occasionally in the same game.
Given the injury crisis inhibiting Leeds United at present, Dallas has been required to deputise in several roles.
Losing the Northern Ireland international for any extended period of time would render Leeds light in three separate areas of the pitch: left-back, right-back and central midfield.
There is hope Dallas' knock is not too severe given it was an impact injury he sustained, as well as the fact he appeared to be walking unaided on the Goodison Park turf at full-time.
That said, left-back may be an area of concern this weekend ahead of the Premier League fixture with Manchester United.
If Dallas is absent, and Junior Firpo is still not fit from the start, the next individual in the pecking order would be Leo Hjelde.
The teenage Norwegian was taken off in the final moments of Leeds' Everton defeat, and appeared in some discomfort on the flank closest to Leeds' travelling supporters, who he applauded as he made his way down the tunnel.
Players will have been afforded their customary day off following Saturday's action, but by now Dallas' injury should have been assessed at the club's training ground as Bielsa and co lick their wounds from the weekend's disappointment.
As has been the case throughout this season, Leeds must cross their fingers that the issue is not one which will keep him out of action for a lengthy period of time.
With Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and potentially Patrick Bamford unavailable until the beginning of March, losing stalwart Dallas would be an additional blow - particularly due to his multi-functional ability in this Leeds team.
Bielsa is expected to host his pre-Manchester United press conference on Friday when he will be able to provide answers on Dallas, Firpo and Hjelde.
