Leeds United have been dealt a serious injury setback ahead of their massive Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.
The Whites are very close to securing survival, but Daniel Farke’s side will now travel to north London without one of their most in-form attacking players.
Noah Okafor is expected to miss the next two matches after picking up a calf injury, creating a big problem for Leeds before one of the most important fixtures of the season.
The injury comes at a frustrating time because Okafor had started finding top form in recent weeks.
Noah Okafor’s blow comes at the Worst Time
The Swiss attacker has been one of Leeds’ brightest players during the final part of the campaign.
His pace, movement, and finishing have helped the Whites move away from the relegation zone and closer to Premier League safety.
Okafor scored again during the 3-1 win over Burnley and looked full of confidence before the injury setback.
Now Leeds must prepare for a huge match without him.
This latest update has quickly become one of the biggest pieces of Leeds United injury news ahead of the weekend.
Farke knows replacing Okafor will not be easy because the attacker has added real energy to the side.
Daniel Farke Has Important Selection Decisions
Daniel Farke now faces some major decisions when choosing his Leeds United line-up for the Tottenham game.
Several players are fighting for a place in attack alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Lukas Nmecha could be handed the chance to start after replacing Okafor during the Burnley victory.
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However, Farke also has options like Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto, and Brenden Aaronson available.
The Leeds boss must now decide whether to keep the same shape or make tactical adjustments for such a difficult away fixture.
Predicted Leeds United Line Up vs Tottenham
The current predicted Premier League line-ups suggest Leeds may continue with a back-three system.
A possible Leeds side could look like this:
- Karl Darlow in goal
- Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, and Jaka Bijol in defence
- Jayden Bogle and James Justin as wing-backs
- Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka, and Anton Stach in midfield
- Lukas Nmecha is supporting Dominic Calvert-Lewin in attack
This remains one of the most talked-about Premier League possible lineups ahead of Monday night’s games.
Leeds supporters will be hoping whoever replaces Okafor can make a similar impact.
More Injury Problems for Leeds
Okafor is not the only concern for Leeds ahead of the game.
Gabriel Gudmundsson is also struggling with a hamstring issue, meaning James Justin may be forced to continue at left wing-back.
Meanwhile, there are still doubts over Pascal Struijk after his recent hip concern.
Leeds are hoping the defender recovers in time because his leadership could be very important in such a big match.
This growing list of problems shows how difficult the season has become physically for the squad.
Tottenham Also Under Pressure
While Leeds are close to safety, Tottenham still has massive pressure hanging over it.
Spurs know defeat against Leeds could pull them back towards danger again.
That means the match is likely to be tense from the first minute.
Roberto De Zerbi is expected to keep faith with many of the players who recently beat Aston Villa.
Tottenham may also welcome back James Maddison after his long injury absence, although he is likely to start on the bench.
The Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur clash is now shaping up to be one of the biggest games in the bottom half of the table.
Leeds Still Close to Premier League Survival
Despite the injury problems, Leeds remain in a very strong position.
The Whites know they can secure survival if results go their way this weekend.
That means confidence inside the squad is still high heading into the important Leeds United fixture.
Players understand they are only one more strong performance away from confirming another season in the Premier League.
Leeds United head into the huge Leeds v Tottenham match with injury concerns, but the team still has enough quality to compete.
Losing Noah Okafor is a major setback, especially after his recent form, but Daniel Farke now has a chance to show the depth inside his squad.
With Premier League survival so close, Leeds will still believe they can get the job done in north London.
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