If there is any team capable of rolling with the punches and keeping the momentum going in the face of a few injury blows, it is Daniel Farke’s Leeds United.
Max Wober is already absent until after the March international break.
Daniel Farke expressed concerns over Mateo Joseph’s fitness after the striker rolled his ankle in lat week’s 1-1 draw at home to West Brom.
Most worryingly of all, Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu faces a race against time to be involved in the run-in after picking up an untimely knee injury which – according to the manager – is likely to keep him off the training pitch until mid-to-late April.
Fortunately, the strength in depth at Leeds United’s disposal is arguably the biggest advantage they hold over their promotion rivals.
Joe Rothwell has only started one of the last five Championship matches but the Bournemouth loanee would stroll into most XIs at this level.
As former Leeds midfielder David Prutton is keen to point out, with Ilya Gruev and the aforementioned Ampadu both missing for long spells on the other side of Christmas, Rothwell and Ao Tanaka formed a pretty imperious partnership at the heart of Farke’s engine room.
And Prutton sees no reason why – with Ampadu on the sidelines again – such success cannot be repeated.
Joe Rothwell backed to step up as Leeds United lose Ethan Ampadu
“We talked earlier in the season about [Ampadu] being out and then suddenly you get Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka looking like one of the best midfield partnerships in the division,” Prutton, who spent three years at Elland Road from 2007 to 2010, tells the Yorkshire Evening Post
“Obviously Tanaka’s journey has been a bit different but Joe is a very good player.
“I’m sure he didn’t come to Leeds to be a bit part player at all because of his reputation and his ability but his ability to change games, his responsibility on the ball, his ability on the ball and his ability from set pieces.
“And we have all seen that is priceless.”
The 30-year-old’s influence has never been more apparent than during Leeds’ heroic fightback to see off Sunderland a few weeks ago.
Much to the delight of former Whites boss Simon Grayson, Joe Rothwell delivered two sublime assists for Pascal Struijk as the substitute’s combined to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The former Blackburn ball-carrier helped turn the tide in Leeds’ favour during another comeback win seven days later, this time at the home of Sheffield United. A first start since the 7-0 thrashing of Cardiff City when West Brom came to town, then, owed as much to Rothwell’s game-changing cameos as it did to the loss of Ampadu.
David Prutton hopes to see Ampadu return before the season ends
“Daniel has called Ethan his important player and, frustratingly for him, part of that importance this season him has been his job off the pitch. It’s nice to be held in that regard by your teammates and your management,” adds Prutton, who also represented Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Coventry in his playing days.
“It seems that he is very level headed, very balanced and he has got a lot of perspective. All of that is seemingly very reflective of what this Leeds team is. Very calm and composed. He is a major part of that.
“I will be gutted for him if it ends up being two months’ time.”
Farke confirms that Ampadu will not undergo surgery in an attempt to get the skipper back on the pitch as soon as possible.
“He has got a reputation as an extremely good professional and an extremely good teammate,” Prutton concludes. “aAd I hope he is back soon because I feel like players like that deserve their place on the pitch.”
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