Pundit raises serious Leeds injury ‘fear’ after ‘worrying’ Phillips update
Alan Hutton has suggested injuries could drag Leeds United into the Premier League relegation battle this season.
The former Scotland defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, admitted losing the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford was a crushing blow to Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
As reported by the Athletic on Monday (13 December), Phillips has undergone surgery on a hamstring injury and is likely to be out for at least two months.
Meanwhile, Bamford, Rodrigo, Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk missed Tuesday’s 7-0 defeat to Manchester City with various injury problems.
Hutton admitted he fears for Leeds’ survival hopes without their star men.
Reacting to Phillips’ injury update, Hutton told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Yeah, it is becoming a worry. I’m not going to lie.
“Kalvin Phillips seems to be the lynchpin in there, he kind of makes everything tick. It’s not just him; Bamford comes back, celebrates a goal, buzzing, then injured again.
“It’s one of those things where Leeds this season seem to be picking up all sorts of injuries. You’ve got Luke Ayling playing back at centre-half.
“It’s not great for the team and it’s not great for the manager or anybody involved. I do fear for them.
“I hate saying this second-year syndrome because I don’t agree with it but they are really struggling.
“Whether it’s teams are finding them out, they can’t press as well, they’re not as intense because of the niggles and injuries and the workload.
“I do feel for them but, ultimately, you have to win games and without your best players, they’re going to struggle.”
Leeds currently sit 16th in the table after 17 games.
They are five points off the drop zone.
In other news, Leeds United employee bemoans “another setback” for senior star after “freak injury”.