Marcelo Bielsa gives injury update ahead of Everton game - with four key players confirmed injured

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed he will be without four key players for Saturday’s trip to Goodison Park.

This will be the the fifth meeting between Bielsa and Toffees manager Frank Lampard, with the Argentinian currently 3-2 up in the head-to-head.

Leeds have had a day less rest than their hosts, having played on Wednesday in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Aston Villa.

But Lampard’s injury woes have worsened midweek, with Yerry Mina and Demarai Gray joining Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ben Godfrey, Fabian Delph and Tom Davies in the treatment room.

Leeds are currently one place and four points above Everton in 15th, although the Blues do have a game in hand.

Firpo remains sidelined

Bielsa confirmed this morning that Junior Firpo remains unavailable for this weekend’s trip to Everton.

The former Barcelona left-back limped off early in Leeds’ win at West Ham and remains sidelined.

He said: “[Firpo] is healthy, but we’re not going to anticipate his return. He will return for next week.”

Key absentees

Firpo is joined on the sideline by three other key players.

Patrick Bamford has been plagued by injuries throughout the season, the most recent of which is a foot injury - he has played just eight times all season for Leeds.

England midfielder Kalvin Phillips is coming towards the end of recovery from a hamstring injury that required surgery, but Bielsa has confirmed he is expected to return in March.

Centre-back Liam Cooper suffered the same injury as Phillips in the same game on December 5 - he is also unavailable and expected to return in early March.

Bielsa said: “Phillips, Cooper, Firpo and Bamford as in the game against Villa, won’t be considered.

“[Phillips] is expected to return in the first few days of March and his recovery has been going as expected.”

On fixture congestion

There’s always the chance of a question pricking Bielsa’s ears and enticing him into a candid response.

This morning - with the Villa game just two days ago and Everton on the horizon - he was asked about the difficulties of the quick turnaround and what preparation is possible.

He said: “No, there’s no time for preparation but there’s also no time for adequate recovery.

“The games are scheduled clearly ignoring that aspect, with the commercial aspects and the commitments due to the sales of the games.

“They make their decisions exclusively dependent on that and all of the aspects that make the competition fair for those that pertain it are not borne in mind.

“The teams are facing each other in different conditions and the games are planned without the possibility of rest and without enduring injuries. But that’s the same for everybody.”

When asked for a solution, Bielsa added: “Play less and accept that playing less means less revenue.

“The less revenue there is, we all have to accept that we earn less. Then there’s not an excess of games.”

“Too many people interpret football only as a business.”