Daniel Farke outlines Leeds’ fitness picture before Tuesday’s trip to Stamford Bridge as several decisions remain open
Leeds United travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night looking to build on recent momentum, but Daniel Farke faces several unresolved selection calls ahead of the midweek Premier League clash.
The Whites arrive in west London six points clear of the relegation zone following their home win over Nottingham Forest last Friday, a result that has eased immediate pressure but has not removed the need for points as the season enters a demanding stretch.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Farke admitted that while Leeds approach the fixture with confidence, there are still uncertainties within his squad that will shape his final decisions before kick-off.
One of the most significant situations surrounds Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The striker, who has scored 10 Premier League goals since arriving on a free transfer, has been dealing with illness. Farke confirmed the issue but stopped short of ruling him out entirely.
“Dominic was struggling with illness but I hope it’s not too bad,” the Leeds boss explained, leaving his availability to be assessed closer to matchday.
🔵 Liam Rosenior confirms Cole Palmer availability while Reece James has a small issue that the manager says is “no conspiracy, it’s the truth” ahead of Leeds clash.
➕ Positive news on Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia.https://t.co/ALQTVBX8bW #CFC #LUFC #FPL…
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Defensive worries add to attacking blow
Defensively, Leeds will be without Pascal Struijk, a blow given his recent form. Farke was clear that the Dutchman will miss the trip to Chelsea due to a hip flexor problem.
“Pascal will definitely miss this game,” Farke said. “You miss a player with red-hot form. He was a rock in the last weeks. He is the only left-footed centre-back, and that makes a difference, especially in a back three.”
Anton Stach is also unavailable, with Farke revealing the midfielder is targeting a return later in the month, potentially for the fixture against Aston Villa.
There was more encouraging news regarding Ilia Gruev, who should be fit to feature. Farke praised the midfielder’s reliability and consistency, describing him as a player who regularly delivers and covers significant ground each match.
“You always get a seven-out-of-10 performance from him,” Farke said. “He has really good defensive awareness, is tactically spot on and covers more than 12km every game.”
Leeds have also welcomed Dan James back into the fold after a lengthy spell out. The winger has returned to training and has already rejoined the matchday squad, with Farke hopeful he can now remain fit after an extended period of setbacks.
“It’s good we have him back. He was out for eight and a half weeks, relatively long,” he said of James. “Even before it was on and off for him in terms of injury. He is a very experienced player, knows his body and what he has to do. He came back in good shape.
“Right now, each day, with us on the training pitch is beneficial. He looked sharp in training and was involved in the matchday squad. So it’s good to have him back. Hopefully now he can stay fit.”
Despite the injury concerns, Farke stressed that Leeds will approach the trip to Stamford Bridge believing they can compete, insisting that the setting does not change the fundamentals of the challenge.
“It’s still the same game, same rules, 11 v 11,” he said. “If we perform well, we know we have a chance on the road.”