Whelan Exclusive: Leeds player has opened up to me about ‘Huge’ Boxing Day blow
Noel Whelan has revealed how Jamie Shackleton has opened up to him about how Leeds United are left with a gaping hole in their attack following Pablo Hernandez’s injury blow.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the pundit and ex-United striker explained how the Spaniard’s teammates are left counting the cost of his hamstring injury.
Hernandez broke down three minutes into Leeds’ 2-1 league defeat at Fulham on Saturday and Marcelo Bielsa has revealed he will be sidelined for around a month.
It is a shattering blow for the promotion hopefuls, given how much craft and invention the 34-year-old brings to the team’s attacking play.
Asked by Football Insider how much Leeds will miss Pablo Hernandez, Whelan said: “He’s going to be a huge miss. You can’t replace a Pablo Hernandez, there’s no player in that team that has the same sort of quality. He’s got something that other players don’t have.
“Jamie Shackleton said that to me when I was interviewing him. He said he sees things other players don’t and it’s true.
“He’s got a special ability to find that pass, that weight of pass into someone’s feet, that opportunity. He’s going to be sorely missed.
“Alioski came on, he seems to enjoy that central part as well but it’s a headache for Marcelo Bielsa.”
Hernandez has been named Leeds’ player of the year at the end of each of the previous two seasons.
He is now in his fourth campaign at Elland Road and has an outstanding record at the club from his 139 appearances, which have yielded 30 goals and 34 assists.
In other Leeds United news, Danny Mills has tipped the Whites to sign ‘Fabulous’ Man City player next month.