Astonishingly, it will be almost a month since Leeds United were in action when they face Aston Villa on October 2. Premier League postponements due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II means the Whites must watch on while other top-flight fixtures resume.
The break does, however, afford Jesse Marsch time to assess his squad before the clash at Elland Road. Several first-team stars were sidelined for the 5-2 defeat at Brentford almost a fortnight ago and could return to take on Villa.
Could the lull in action prove to be a blessing in disguise? LeedsLive outlined three selection dilemmas Marsch must contend with before Steven Gerrard brings his side to Yorkshire.
Patrick Bamford
Of course, no Leeds injury list would be complete without their main man. Bamford has not completed a full 90 minutes since September 17 last year - meaning it will be 380 days by the time Villa travel to Elland Road.
READ MORE: Leeds United U21s' potential line-up for Southampton clash with Bamford included
The Whites struggled - and were almost relegated - without the England international in 2021-22. Hopes of a full recovery this season have already been diminished as he continues to suffer injury problems.
The acid test for Bamford could come this weekend. Leeds under-21s face Southampton on Friday and the 29-year-old is expected to start.
Passing the upcoming test with flying colours will give Marsch food for thought. In his absence, Rodrigo has impressed and finally looks like the player Leeds thought they broke their transfer record for two years ago.
However, there is no doubt that Bamford is still the man to lead the line when fit. A solid showing against Southampton is needed for him to have any chance of starting against Aston Villa.
Liam Cooper
Diego Llorente was slammed for his performance in the 5-2 defeat to Brentford. Defensive mishaps cost Leeds and most of the blame was planted at the Spaniard’s door.
The Skipper returning would add a reassuring presence to a flaky backline. Cooper is yet to feature this campaign after suffering an Achilles injury before the season opener against Wolves.
If Marsch persists with Llorente, it would be Robin Koch who makes way for the captain. Like Bamford, Cooper is also set to make his long-awaited comeback against Southampton under-21s at Elland Road this weekend.
Junior Firpo
Firpo’s absence has resulted in the most glaringly obvious square peg being placed in a round hole. A lack of cover means Pascal Struijk has deputised as a makeshift left-back for the first six games of the campaign.
Fielding a natural full-back will strengthen the backline and his inclusion surely is down to a matter of fitness. Even if Firpo is only at 75% for the Villa game, you would expect Marsch to take a punt on him in his starting line-up.
Failure to sign a left-back could prove costly by January but, to his credit, Struijk has done a decent job. The Dominican could even feature alongside Bamford and Cooper against Southampton's youth side.
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