Leeds United's Premier League campaign has been punctuated and defined by injuries throughout 2021/22.
Several players have been plagued by troublesome knocks and sprains, while others such as Patrick Bamford have suffered multiple injuries in succession.
Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper are the club's two long-term absentees; Marcelo Bielsa indicating the pair could return during March, but it has predominantly been a recurrence of medium-term injuries that have halted Leeds' progress.
Nevertheless, the team still find themselves seven points clear of relegation trouble, with a buffer of two teams below in the Premier League table, standing between them and the drop-zone.
The Whites have been forced to draw on U23 players at various stages throughout the campaign, which has had a well-documented knock-on effect for the youngsters' own league performance.
With two weeks until Leeds' next Premier League fixture, some players have been given a reprieve from the usual training routine, while others remain at Thorp Arch, rehabbing in order to return to full fitness.
Marcelo Bielsa has reiterated in recent press conferences that two absentees Charlie Cresswell and Jamie Shackleton could make a return to the first-team fold in February, ahead of the next game versus Aston Villa.
Cresswell was pictured at Thorp Arch yesterday by teammate Sam Greenwood, and appears to be overcoming the shoulder problem which has ruled him out for several weeks.
Adam Forshaw confirmed on LUTV co-commentary duty last Saturday that he would also be available for the visit to Villa Park on February 9.
Should Leeds recover three additional first-team players for the trip to the Midlands, Marcelo Bielsa will once again have numerous options to choose from - something of a rarity this season.
In particular, at centre-back Bielsa will have multiple candidates to start against Steven Gerrard's men.
Pascal Struijk has overcome mid-season injury issues to make a commanding return to form, while Robin Koch's hip issues appear to be behind him.
Diego Llorente began life at Leeds almost tethered to the treatment room, but has largely been available over the past 12 months.
It poses Marcelo Bielsa with a dilemma, particularly as club captain Liam Cooper should be making a comeback in another four weeks.
A selection problem due to a wealth of options has seemed like a distant memory for much of this season, especially as Bielsa has often bemoaned simultaneous injuries to players in the same position, such as centre-forward, in recent press conferences.
It is entirely plausible that for the home straight of this Premier League campaign, Leeds will have the option of three international central defenders, one England U21 defender and Pascal Struijk, who is destined to make his international bow at some point in the near future should he continue on his current trajectory.
While this is not a 'dilemma', per se, last weekend was only the second time since Koch, Llorente and Struijk have all been at the club, that they each completed 90 minutes together during a Premier League matchday.
Granted, Koch has featured more regularly in defensive midfield of late, but on Kalvin Phillips' return, it is most likely he will be expected to take up a watching brief from the substitutes' bench once more.
The German, Spaniard Llorente and 'Premier League player' Struijk, as Bielsa coined him each have six weeks to prove they deserve to partner Cooper on his return.
Bielsa's alternative would be to leave out his club captain, which so far he has been reluctant to do as manager of Leeds United.
