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Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said batsman Mohammad Ashraful was fortunate to retain a place in the national team but felt there was no adequate replacement for him yet

Sriram Veera in Dhaka22-Jan-2010Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said batsman Mohammad Ashraful was fortunate to retain a place in the national team but felt there was no adequate replacement for him yet. Siddons also viewed the first Test as an opportunity lost for Bangladesh and believed the result could have been different had the top order batted better.Ashraful averages 22.92 from 51 Tests, and his 101 against Sri Lanka in December 2008 is his only 50-plus score in more than two years. “There is definitely a lot of pressure on Mohammad Ashraful,” Siddons told Cricinfo. “He knows that he has been very inconsistent and we have talked about it. In that regard, he is very lucky to be still in the team but unless you find someone else, someone better, to replace him, he will play. After all, it wasn’t long time back that he hit a hundred against Sri Lanka. I hope he scores in the second Test and inspires the whole team.”Akram Khan, the national selector, had earlier said that they were forced to play Ashraful in the past because of the lack of seniors but Siddons wasn’t convinced about that reasoning. “I have never been a fan of playing players just because of experience. You need to perform,” Siddons said. “Else, you might as well play young players. As for Ashraful, there is no one anyway, as yet, as good as him and hence he continues to play. But the pressure is growing.”Looking back at the first Test, Siddons said Bangladesh would have done better, perhaps even won the Test, had the top order put in a better performance. “I definitely see it as an opportunity lost. We finished short of 100 runs in the end. We bowled well in the first innings and that gave us a great chance. But we didn’t bat well in the first 30 overs in both the innings. The top order needs to step up. If we can bat the first 30 overs well, I am sure this team is capable of putting good totals.”Shahriar Nafees, playing his first Test in nearly two years due to his ICL dalliance, looked shaky at No. 3 in both innings and looked uncertain outside his off stump but Siddons said that Nafees would be given another chance in the second Test in Dhaka. “He should get a chance. This is his comeback game and there was bound to be some nerves. We played him because he is a good player of spin and we felt India would play two spinners in that Test. If he had got through the initial period against pace he can go on to play a big innings. He is working hard and I must say that he did get a good ball in the first innings.”Considering Nafees’ form, some felt there might be a revision in the batting order but Siddons also ruled out any promotion in the order for Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim or Mahmudullah. “Shakib is still learning to bat at his position at the international level and I don’t think he should be pushed up now. Mahmudullah did bat well but he has just started playing at this level. He also found out all about pressure at this level in the second innings (Zaheer Khan bombarded him with a bouncer-attack and Mahmudullah fell trying to counterattack). Mushfiqur has to keep wickets as well. It won’t be prudent to push people up, what would solve the problem is the batsmen batting higher up start scoring some runs.”

Crystal Palace could form a formidable duo after being linked with a move for Orlando City striker Daryl Dike ahead of the January transfer window.

The Sun claimed at the beginning of the week that the Eagles are ‘keen on’ the highly-rated 21-year-old as Patrick Vieira looks to add further reinforcements to his forward line over the coming months.

With Christian Benteke set to turn 31 this month and loanee Jean-Philippe Mateta expected to return to his parent club Mainz 05 after failing to impress on English shores, a move for Dike could well be on the cards.

Imagine him and Eberechi Eze

The United States international has become one of the biggest stars to come out of his homeland in recent years after being drafted into the MLS from Virginia Cavaliers by Orlando City back in January 2020.

Virginia men’s head coach George Gelnovatch was quick to praise his former player in an interview with ESPN, claiming the prolific forward is ‘ruthless’.

“There were moments (of game savvy),” said Gelnovatch. “But one of the things about him that nobody ever talks about is relentlessness. He is a relentless competitor, a ruthless guy on the field. You put that inside a body like his, and it’s pretty impressive.”

Dike’s impressive tally of eight goals and three assists in 17 league appearances for the Lions earned him a loan move to Championship outfit Barnsley halfway through last season and made the transition to the second-tier of English football look easy.

The 6 foot 1 colossus bagged nine league goals in just 19 outings, playing a pivotal part as the Yorkshire outfit reached the play-offs.

His eye-catching displays saw several impressed onlookers laud his talents, with Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman labelling him a “powerhouse.”

And Dike has continued his good form upon his return to Orlando this term, finding the back of the net on ten occasions in just 18 games as Oscar Pareja’s charges have climbed to sixth-position in the Eastern Conference.

A move to Selhurst Park over the winter window would see Dike play just ahead of several creative talents, but the prospect of Eberechi Eze linking up with such a deadly finisher would be a mouth-watering prospect.

In his maiden campaign in south London, the 23-year-old laid on six assists, averaged 1.3 key passes per game and created five big chances, highlighting his ability to carve open opportunities on a regular basis.

Therefore, Palace chairman Steve Parish must carefully consider a move for the £9m-rated Dike, potentially supplying Vieira with the firepower he needs to continue the capital club’s progression.

And, in other news…Forget Guehi: Palace liability who had a 61% passing accuracy let Vieira down v Leeds

Even though they managed to break their poor run of form in their latest Premier League clash by beating Arsenal 2-1 at Goodison Park, the overall fan mood around Everton has not been not particularly positive in recent weeks after failing to win a league game throughout October and November, as well as the departure of the club’s director of football Marcel Brands.

The much-needed win against Mikel Arteta’s side finally gave the fans at Goodison something to celebrate, but it seems as though the fury towards Everton owner Farhad Moshiri could well be stoked up again after recent reports emerged claiming that Toffees attacker Richarlison, who scored against the Gunners last Monday, is of interest to the north London club for a future transfer according to Fichajes.

Since joining the Merseyside club back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Watford in a deal worth a reported fee of around £40m, the Brazilian has scored 45 goals and provide 11 assists in 129 appearances across all competitions, firmly cementing himself as one of Everton’s top attacking talents.

Labelled as a “complete” player by former Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti, the 24-year-old has scored three goals and provided two assists in 10 Premier League games so far this season.

His performance in the 2-1 win against Arsenal earned Richarlison an overall match rating of 8/10 according to SofaScore, making him the highest-rated player on the night, highlighting his importance to the club when it matters.

Given how Alexandre Lacazette (30) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (32) are Arsenal’s two oldest players, it’s easy to see why they see Richarlison, who is currently earning £110k-per-week at Everton according to Salary Sport, as a potential long-term replacement for one of their current strikers.

With Richarlison’s contract at Goodison Park not set to expire until the summer of 2024, it would be nothing short of a disaster if Moshiri were to sell him any time soon, especially to another Premier League club.

If this were to happen, it would surely not go down well with Everton fans given how much of an attacking threat the Brazilian has provided for the Toffees since his arrival on Merseyside.

In other news: Benitez must seal Everton swoop for “complete” £51k-p/w beast who plays like Platini & Zidane

Victoria are closing in on hosting the Sheffield Shield final after taking a 151-run lead over Queensland on the second day in Brisbane

Cricinfo staff23-Feb-2010
ScorecardClint McKay’s 3 for 50 hurt Queensland•Getty ImagesVictoria are closing in on hosting the Sheffield Shield final after taking a 151-run lead over Queensland on the second day in Brisbane. The Bulls were dismissed for 170 in reply to Victoria’s 316 and the visitors lost Chris Rogers as they finished on 1 for 5.Pitches at the Gabba usually get better as the game goes on but the Bushrangers, who moved into the final with the first-innings points, already have a significant advantage in the top-of-the-table clash. The Bulls were never allowed to get going in their chase and were relieved when Chris Hartley, the No.6, compiled 47 as they scraped past the follow-on figure of 166.Clint McKay was a key man with 3 for 50, removing Ryan Broad, Wade Townsend and Craig Philipson. Damien Wright was also important with 3 for 41 and Darren Pattinson claimed the valuable double of James Hopes (16) and Chris Simpson (4) to prevent a local recovery.Hopes had taken five wickets early in the day as Victoria resumed on 6 for 265 and added 51. John Hastings was caught behind in the opening over and Hopes then picked up McKay for 6 to finish with 5 for 66.Michael Hill was 32 not out while Pattinson (17) was the last man out, giving Luke Feldman his second wicket. Feldman struck again in the final over of the day to remove Rogers with a yorker to give his side some hope of a comeback.

Eoin Morgan hit his first hundred for England as they overcame a major challenge from Bangladesh to secure a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory with seven balls to spare and seal the series in Mirpur

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill02-Mar-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
As he did against Pakistan in Dubai, Eoin Morgan sealed the game with a massive strike over deep square leg•PA PhotosEoin Morgan hit his first hundred for England as they overcame a major challenge from Bangladesh to secure a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory with seven balls to spare and seal the series in Mirpur. For Bangladesh it means their wait for success over England continues and their inability to close out matches came back to haunt them as Morgan’s ultra-cool approach proved too much.While England’s lower order lost their head with pressure building Morgan remained completely focused on his task, barely acknowledging the smattering of applause for his hundred which made him the first player to score centuries for two countries after he began his career with Ireland. When Graeme Swann missed a wild mow at Shakib Al Hasan, England needed 32 off 26 balls with debutant James Tredwell the other batsman at the crease and only an injured Stuart Broad to come.That equation came down to 25 from 17 balls and to Morgan’s advantage they were inside the Powerplay overs. England had delayed taking their option until the end and, for a while, it appeared it may be wasted but in the final result the restrictions proved vital.Morgan pierced the field with precision, reverse sweeping Abdur Razzak to relieve the pressure in the 48th over. With 16 needed from the last two overs he didn’t waste any time, making use of the extra pace from Shafiul Islam. He calmly hit two full tosses for four on either side of the wicket before, as he did against Pakistan in Dubai, sealing victory with a six over deep square-leg.Morgan could finally celebrate his efforts and was cheered off by his team-mates as England maintained their unbeaten record against the hosts – but this one was a close call. And indeed, it was fortunate that Morgan was around to the seal the game as he had a nervous start to his innings and survived two very strong leg before shouts against Mahmudullah. The first, when he had made just 7, was hazardously close, and both decisions could easily have gone against him.England faced early problems when Craig Kieswetter was caught at slip in the first over and Kevin Pietersen’s problems against left-arm spin continued. When Paul Collingwood was also leg before, Morgan entered at 68 for 3 and was happy to support the free-flowing Alastair Cook by rotating the strike at the beginning of his innings.He began to break free once Cook fell for 61-ball 60 – to a juggling catch by Mushfiqur Rahim – realising that he was the one to carry on the momentum that had been built. His role was made all the more important by Prior’s shaky start against Razzak and Shakib.After seeing off the left-arm spin threat, Morgan pulled Shafiul handsomely over square leg and Prior started to get going with a pressure-relieving reverse sweep off Naeem Islam. The pair added three more boundaries to put England firmly into the ascendancy before Razzak returned and Prior played half-forward to an arm ball to be pinned lbw, sparking a mini-collapse which gave Bangladesh hopeLuke Wright worked the ball around for a couple of overs before attempting an ungainly slog, and Tim Bresnan lasted only three balls before he fell lbw to Mahmudullah playing another poor sweep. Shakib then struck again in his final over, deceiving an advancing Swann with a flighted delivery to clatter the stumps.But with England seemingly in disarray Morgan marched on, serenely indifferent to the carnage with an innings of controlled aggression. With Shakib and Razzak – who shared six wickets between them – bowled out, Bangladesh’s captain turned to the pace of Shafiul but will be left ruing his decision after Morgan closed down the game with three boundaries in five balls.Bangladesh’s total of 260 for 6 – their highest in one-day internationals against England – was largely due to the efforts of Rahim with a superbly-paced 76 and Imrul Kayes’s rather more sedate 63. They added 90 for the third wicket to steady the innings after England had struck twice in quick succession, removing Tamim Iqbal, the star of the opening match with 125, and Aftab Ahmed in consecutive overs.Gaining in confidence as their partnership progressed, they took Bangladesh to 146 before Kayes fell to a fine, tumbling catch by Collingwood in the covers. Rahim went to his fifty, changing gears with a succession of well-placed boundaries to take the score past 200, before he misread a slower ball from Bresnan to be caught at mid on.A late flurry from Naeem and debutant Suhrawadi Shuvo – who closed the innings in style with a six and a four in the final over – boosted the total to competitive heights, but Morgan’s cool assurance ultimately proved to be the difference between the teams today.

Following a series of controversial events in the round of 16 Champions League draw, Manchester City were pitted against Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

A technical error saw UEFA declare that the original draw null and void, with a revised draw taking place three hours later. This mistake was regarding who some teams were eligible to face, involving Spanish side Atletico Madrid and English duo Liverpool and Manchester United.

City were originally drawn against LaLiga outfit and Europa League holders Villarreal, but the re-draw confirmed a match-up against Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, who lost three of their six group games but still managed to progress.

As one of the seeded teams, Pep Guardiola’s side will play away from home at the José Alvalade Stadium in the first leg in February, before welcoming Sporting to the Etihad Stadium for the return game in March.

The draw sees Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva all returning to their native Portugal for the first leg, with the former having the extra motivation of lining out against the crosstown rivals of his previous club Benfica.

Many City fans go wild at the re-draw

Following the club’s official confirmation on Twitter that they will now be up against Sporting in the round of 16, these City fans erupted in response to what one described as a “quality” outcome given that they avoided the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.

“no way, we got an easier draw”

Credit: @BlueCitizenn

“Our Portuguese boys will feast”

Credit: @G12x12

“This is even better”

Credit: @Head_91

“Our Benfica boys gonna tear them up”Credit: @Noroftheair”Good lordddddd”Credit: @mcfcbabs”Quality”Credit: @connor_mort17In other news: ‘This image made me emotional’ – Some Man City fans swoon over club post depicting Etihad Stadium ‘king’

Brendon McCullum changed his tactics to produce a superb team innings that allowed New Zealand to take their battle with Australia into a fifth day

The Bulletin by Peter English22-Mar-2010New Zealand 157 & 369 for 6 (McCullum 94*, McIntosh 83, Vettori 77) lead Australia 459 for 5 dec by 67 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Daniel Vettori was bowled trying to sweep Nathan Hauritz, ending his valuable stand of 126 with Brendon McCullum•Getty ImagesBrendon McCullum changed his tactics to produce a superb team innings that allowed New Zealand to take their battle with Australia into a fifth day. Standing up to a fierce wind gusting up to 120kph, McCullum smothered his attack-first mentality and overcame a distracted Australian side to finish unbeaten on 94.Crucially, McCullum built on the work of Daniel Vettori, who produced a committed 77, and took the hosts further ahead during their follow-on. By stumps on a day curtailed by rain, light and regular interruptions caused by the gale, their advantage stood at 67. It is not much, but some more wet weather is predicted on the final morning, giving them a chance of saving the game.The Australians started the day with a lead of 115 and needed five wickets but they managed only one. Mostly they wished they were inside, safe from the powerful gusts and resting after three consecutive days in the field. McCullum and Vettori kept them outside during a partnership of 126 – it was a sixth-wicket record for New Zealand against Australia – and both raised their highest scores in Trans-Tasman Tests.McCullum, who is happiest when he’s slashing boundaries, focussed successfully on batting for a long time and usually avoided the big shots that could have led to his departure. For much of the time it was an uncharacteristically gritty display, but he allowed himself some attractive flourishes.The best shot came when he pulled Mitchell Johnson out of the ground behind square and forced a lengthy search for the ball. Unfortunately for the Australians they found it, as McCullum liked hitting it.He cut Nathan Hauritz when he dropped short and eased the fast men through cover or point when they over-pitched. After lunch he thumped a drive to point that was prevented from reaching the rope by the gale, but he picked up 11 boundaries and the six during an impressive 178-ball performance.McCullum’s half-century came up with overthrows after he picked up a quick single, and he was the most comfortable man on the ground throughout the day. Vettori was almost immoveable as he showed he could have a long-term future at No. 6. After scoring 46 in the first innings Vettori, who has been promoted two spots in the order this season, delivered in another crucial situation.Rain delayed the start and the hosts resumed their second innings on 187 for 5, knowing they didn’t have much batting power after Vettori and McCullum. The pair was in control for most of the stand and the Australians were worn down by the interruptions and the unfamiliar weather.The wind was so severe that the cameras for Hot Spot were taken down and the equipment for the projection tracking stopped working, which caused a problem when McCullum survived an lbw appeal on 52 from Hauritz. McCullum didn’t play a shot to an offspinner and was hit a long way outside off stump, with Asad Rauf ruling it not out.Australia called for a referral but some of the reference tools were unavailable and the original decision stayed, which seemed to be the right one. Ricky Ponting had a lengthy discussion with the umpires and the upshot was they didn’t lose their challenge.The Australians weren’t at their best throughout, but their worst period was after lunch when Johnson dropped a caught-and-bowled opportunity above his head from Vettori on 60. Brad Haddin also failed to stump McCullum before his half-century when the batsman missed a ball from Hauritz and his back leg came out of the crease.Just when everything seemed lined up for a Vettori century, he swept at Hauritz well outside leg stump and managed to play on. He opened the day with a smart drive in the first over and collected eight fours in all, half of which came behind point. A boundary through cover off Ryan Harris brought up a much-needed half-century and Vettori also employed a range of cunning deflections during his 119-ball stay.Once Vettori exited, McCullum gained assistance from Daryl Tuffey, who was unbeaten on 23 when stumps were eventually called. Bad light and drizzle alternated to cause the disruptions in the afternoon and only 52 overs were delivered for the day.The persistent gusts forced the players to hold on to their caps and sent a helmet sitting behind Haddin all the way to the boundary. Bails weighed down by lead blew off and the cameramen standing in the stands had ropes to grab when they wobbled. Before play the wind was so strong it ripped the covers from the hands of the groundsmen and moved the light roller.The conditions helped the bowlers at the Vance Stand End, but were a severe hindrance for the men at the other one. Hauritz had to deliver into the wind most of the time and had satisfying figures of 3 for 119 from 49 overs. Doug Bollinger was unable to add an eighth wicket for the game while Johnson had brief moments of encouragement without success. Depending on what happens tomorrow, the Australians may look back at their mixed moods and conclude it was a day of missed opportunities.

New Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard couldn’t have asked for a much better start to life in the Midlands, given their recent run of fixtures.

Three victories in his first five games in charges have propelled the Villans up the Premier League table, with defeats to title challengers Manchester City and Liverpool the only blots on his copybook.

An eight-point gap to the relegation zone has emerged since Gerrard’s arrival from Scottish champions Rangers, allowing the Villa Park outfit to look up the table rather than over their shoulders once again.

However, to continue their surge up the division, the Midlanders may be forced into the transfer market during the January window as injuries threaten to expose a lack of squad depth.

The in-form Marvelous Nakamba is believed to have picked up a fresh knee injury while Morgan Sanson continues his slow road back to full fitness.

But one possible solution is for Gerrard to return to his old club and raid their engine room options for the highly-rated Glen Kamara, placing his faith in a player who performed for him on a regular basis on the European stage.

It’s recently been revealed by The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell in the comments section of an article of his that the Rangers midfielder could well be a target of the 41-year-old this winter, as the £21,000-per-week gem is a player who Gerrard is extremely fond of.

In response to a question asking whether the Villa boss could make a move for Kamara, Campbell said: “I would not be surprised if he came in for him as he loves him as a player.”

While Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge claimed Gerrard is a “big, big fan” of the Finland international, opening the door to a potential move over the coming months.

And when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why Kamara is so highly thought of by the retired Liverpool and England box-to-box dynamo.

As per WhoScored, the defensive-minded maestro has averaged 1.4 tackles in the Europa League this season, 1.4 interceptions, 0.8 key passes and one dribble, achieving a passing accuracy of 87%.

The £5.4m-rated star has long been outlined for success, though, with his former Dundee manager Neil McCann, labelling him a ‘special talent’ back in 2019.

“He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong,” said McCann.

“I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect. He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

And Kamara’s tactical discipline, impressive passing range and versatility would provide the perfect balance to the more attack-minded, hard-working John McGinn, who has already bagged three goals and provided two assists this season.

With a midfielder partnership of Kamara and McGinn, Villa would scare any opposition, and Gerrard must consider a swoop for his former player this January.

And, in other news…Lange could save AVFC millions with £46k-p/w machine who will “get better and better”

Stuart Broad believes that the World Twenty20 offers England their best opportunity yet to end their 35-year hunt for a major ICC Trophy, and feels that his personal preparation since last month’s tour of Bangladesh has left him at the peak of his form an

Cricinfo staff27-Apr-2010Stuart Broad believes that the World Twenty20 offers England their best opportunity yet to end their 35-year hunt for a major ICC Trophy, and feels that his personal preparation since last month’s tour of Bangladesh has left him at the peak of his form and fitness.Broad was made to work hard for his wickets on flat surfaces in Bangladesh, having overcome a worrying back spasm that had left his participation in the first Test in doubt. But following a month’s break, he confirmed his readiness for further international action by taking eight wickets in Nottinghamshire’s Championship victory over Somerset last week.”I feel great,” Broad told reporters in Barbados. “The rest was fantastic after Bangladesh to make sure the body got rid of all the niggles. Then this last week it was a fantastic experience helping Notts win and get some overs under my belt. I feel really fresh and excited about what we can do in this tournament.”Broad will be embarking on his third World Twenty20 campaign, and he has endured mixed fortunes in his previous outings – from being cracked for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in Durban in 2007, to his role in the embarrassing defeat by the Netherlands in last year’s tournament opener. Nevertheless, those experiences have taught him how quickly and easily a team can regroup in this format.”We obviously stumbled against the Netherlands,” he said. “But the great thing about this tournament is you can recover from that , and we qualified after beating Pakistan pretty convincingly and were actually quite unfortunate losing in a rain-affected game [against West Indies], where the Duckworth-Lewis stuffed us a bit.”England do not have home advantage to fall back on this time around, but they gained plenty of experience during their eventful tour of the Caribbean last year, in which they bounced back from a 1-0 defeat in the Test series to win their first limited-overs series in the West Indies.”If we can use the knowledge we gained here last year, I think we can go far,” said Broad. “I think we’ve got a really well-balanced squad here, batters who can hit boundaries all the way through the order, good spinners – and I think the team is really excited about our prospects. This is one of the best chances an England squad has had since I’ve been involved in an ICC event. We’ve got the players to do the business.”Five of England’s batsmen go into the tournament with IPL experience under their belt, although none of the bowlers put themselves forward for the same opportunity – a fact that Kevin Pietersen questioned in a recent interview. However, Broad was unrepentant about taking a break rather than seek the extra knowhow on offer.”Obviously, I want to experience the IPL at some stage, it looks a fantastic tournament,” he said. “Every player involved in it has only got good words to say. But I am pleased I had the rest this time.”

Leeds United ambassador Noel Whelan believes that the potential return from injury of Dan James and Patrick Bamford can be ‘massive’ for the Whites.

The Lowdown: Leeds’ injury nightmare

Marcelo Bielsa’s men were beaten 4-1 at home to Arsenal on Saturday evening as their Premier League struggles this season continue.

While Leeds deserve some criticism for their performances, they are currently battling a huge injury crisis, with key figures such as Kalvin Phillips sidelined.

However, there is hope that James and Bamford could be available for the trip to Liverpool on Boxing Day, which would come as a big boost for Bielsa and co.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Whelan positive about return of duo

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan admitted that it would be huge to have the attacking duo fit for another tough league assignment away to a title-challenging Liverpool side at Anfield. He said:

“Getting any of these more experienced players back is going to be a massive plus for the Leeds United fans and the players.

“You need your best players against the best teams in the league. Liverpool and Man City are the two best sides in the league.

“Their best assets are clinical passing and lethal finishing – so having your best players there to combat that is crucial. We saw what happened against Man City when we allowed them to play their game.

“We can’t sit back for 90 minutes. Leeds must take the game to Liverpool. That’s how to get the best out of the likes of Raphinha, Bamford and James.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-29/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Would be huge for Whites

Leeds desperately need their injury problems to ease before they get embroiled in a genuine relegation fight, and the potential return of James and Bamford for Boxing Day could make a huge difference.

The Whites have looked lacking in attacking quality in recent weeks, scoring just 18 goals in as many league games this season, but the potentially returning duo could inject some much-needed quality in the final third.

Granted, James has only scored one goal and set up one for Leeds this season, but his pace is a constant threat, while Bamford’s record of 17 league goals last season speaks for itself. Whelan is right; their presence could be crucial at Anfield if they are fit enough to feature.

In other news, Leeds have been given a potential January transfer boost. Read more here.