When Ilia Gruev was forced off with an injury against Norwich City, there was a collective grown among those of a Leeds United persuasion following the knee problem sustained by Ethan Ampadu.
Leeds rarely get any luck with injuries and it looked like that same curse had struck again, and it has. The Whites came into the season with four, top-quality midfielders and already have been left with just two.
Ampadu is out until the new year and while Gruev is back sooner than that, the Bulgaria international has undergone surgery. It has left Daniel Farke with just Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell as options in midfield.
Rothwell and Tanaka have now combined for almost three games, playing most of the draw at Norwich and then the 2-2 draw at Sunderland before combining well on Friday night against Sheffield United.
Tony Dorigo shares what he noticed about Leeds star Ao Tanaka
Tanaka was exceptional in the middle of the park once again. That is despite the midfielder playing all 95 minutes against Australia on Tuesday and having to hot-foot it back to Yorkshire in time for Friday night.
Leigh Bromby said Tanaka never gives the ball away, and he can put a tackle in too. The Japan star was superb behind forward-running Joe Rothwell and Dorigo praised Tanaka during LUTV’s coverage.
After Tanaka’s slide tackle on Gustavo Hamer, Dorigo said: “Excellent play. Tanaka has got that physical side in him. He can certainly do that, can pass too. One of the calmest players on the ball you’ll ever see.”
Who starts for Leeds when Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu return?
When Gruev went off against Norwich, there were real concerns regarding Tanaka and Rothwell. Tanaka was starting for the first time in English football at Norwich, joined by Rothwell also for the first time.
Fast forward until now after their performances against Norwich and then Sunderland and Sheffield United, three incredibly tough games at Championship level, those concerns have completely vanished.
Gruev is expected to be back by December while Ampadu is likely to be the new year. But should they be concerned about their place in the side? Well, there is no doubting that Ampadu will still come back in.
But Gruev has got to be concerned that his starting spot will vanish when he is fit again. Right now, you would imagine that captain Ampadu will partner either Tanaka or Rothwell when all four are fit.
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