Daniel Farke could be forced to get creative this afternoon should Sam Byram not be deemed fit enough to take on Bristol City. Byram isn’t thought to be carrying an injury at present but given his record of issues in the past and over the last couple of months, Leeds United are continuing to monitor the defender’s workload.
As such, after starting Leeds’ game against Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday and the loss at Southampton last Saturday, it is still unclear whether Byram is physically able to play three games in a week with comfort. Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Farke explained that he will speak to Byram during the club’s final training session to gauge his condition and how he’s feeling.
Given the lack of other left-back options at his disposal, though, he’ll have his fingers crossed that the 30-year-old feels ready to start the last game before the international break against the Robins. Jamie Shackleton would have ordinarily been the man to come in for Byram, if he couldn’t make the quick turnaround, but the utility man has injured his shoulder and won’t be involved at Elland Road this afternoon.
Of course, the Whites do have Junior Firpo, too, but he hasn’t played all season and won’t feature again until after the international break at the earliest due to injury. As such, it seems Farke’s only other recognised left-back options would be Pascal Struijk and Leo Hjelde, with the Norwegian starting Leeds’ first Premier League game at left-back this season.
Neither alternative is seen as ideal, though, and the manager will be hoping to use Byram on Saturday before allowing him to rest during the international break, but he knows he might have to mix things up if the 30-year-old isn’t able to play three days after the win over QPR on Wednesday.