Why Patrick Bamford is missing for Leeds United v Plymouth

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Leeds United are hosting Plymouth Argyle in the Championship on Saturday afternoon as Daniel Farke’s side target a fourth consecutive home win.

Daniel Farke’s side began the day sitting third in the table following a positive first quarter of the 2024/25 campaign and will be hoping to secure all three points against Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims side that are battling to stay out of the relegation zone at the other end of the table.

Farke made just one enforced change to his starting XI for the Elland Road clash as the suspended Jayden Bogle dropped out of the squad, replaced by Junior Firpo, who returns from a one-match ban of his own.

That means Sam Byram shuffles over from left-back to the right-hand side of defence, while Dan James, a pre-match doubt with a hamstring issue, has been passed fit to start.

Patrick Bamford absent from matchday squad

Farke also revealed in Thursday’s pre-match press conference that Patrick Bamford was another doubt for the clash as he has been struggling with an adductor injury and he was indeed missing from the matchday squad.

However, according to the BBC’s Adam Pope, Bamford’s absence is down to the fact that he is ill.

Bamford has been a bit-part player this season, making just five appearances off the bench for Leeds so far in the Championship, while his only start of the campaign came in the Carabao Cup defeat to Middlesbrough.

Farke will no doubt be hoping that Bamford will be fully fit for Wednesday night’s trip to Millwall and next weekend’s Elland Road clash against QPR.

Leeds’ striker options

With Bamford having played just 47 minutes in the Championship so far this term, Farke has relied on the one-time England international to lead the line for his side.

Mateo Joseph began the season as Farke’s first-choice number nine, starting the first eight games of the season, before the 21-year-old was replaced in the starting line-up by Joel Piroe for past five games, including today’s clash against Plymouth.