Noel Whelan: Absence of 26-year-old is worrying for Leeds
By Harvey Byrne
Noel Whelan has claimed that the absence of Eunan O’Kane from the Leeds team is worrying him.
The 26-year-old has missed the last two fixtures against Aston Villa and Brighton after being brought off on the 28th minute against Liverpool in the EFL Cup.
The Yorkshire giants managed to beat Villa 2-0, but they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Friday.
Kalvin Phillips was sent off in the clash against the Seagulls and will now face a one-match ban, leaving the club short in the centre with Liam Bridcutt also out injured.
Former player Whelan believes that the club have a good enough squad to cover the injuries and suspensions, but he did state that he has worries about O’Kane’s injury.
“Eunan O’Kane’s absence with a groin problem is worrying but I do trust the players that we have,” wrote Whelan in his column for the Yorkshire Evening Post. “We have players that can fill in there, we have got players that are on the verge of coming back which is at a good time this Christmas period because the games come thick and fast and every player and the manager knows how important this period of the season is.
“I’m not downhearted about it. It’s disappointing but there’s lots of positives there that I can take heart from and we move on to another big game against Reading on Tuesday night at Elland Road.”
The defeat on Friday has left Leeds in sixth with just three points separating Garry Monk’s side from 10th placed Fulham.
They have been left 10 points behind Brighton in the automatic promotion spots and it is looking increasingly likely that if Leeds are to be promoted then it will have to be via the play-offs.
They have another tough fixture coming up on Tuesday in a busy period with third placed Reading set to travel to Elland Road.
Jaap Stam’s side have won five of their last six league fixtures and will prove very difficult foes for the Yorkshire giants.
In other Leeds news, this player must be rushed back to the starting line-up to face the Royals on Tuesday.