da doce： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
da spicy bet： Football Insider have been reporting that Eddie Nketiah’s injury will leave him out of action for three weeks.
Of course, this problem will hamper Leeds United’s chances in their upcoming fixtures as they’ll be without their top goalscorer, but the Arsenal loanee’s absence may hand one last opportunity to one man who has seemingly been out in the cold.
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Leeds’ ongoing dilemma
The Whites have had an ongoing dilemma all season due to the number of loan players they have in their squad.
EFL rules state that Championship sides can only have five loanees in a matchday squad, and with the Whites currently having six temporary players on their books one player has had to miss out each week.
This has usually been Jack Clarke as United have opted to have Nketiah, Jack Harrison, Helder Costa, Illan Meslier and Ben White in their 18 each week.
That was until Pablo Hernandez got injured and Marcelo Bielsa determined he needed Clarke as an extra option on the bench just in case.
Despite that, the teenager still hasn’t played a single minute in the Championship.
Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…
One more chance
Nketiah’s injury will open up another spot in the squad for a loanee over the next few weeks, and that means that Clarke may be given another shot to save his loan spell at Elland Road.
It’s likely that he will at least be given a chance among the substitutes, and with United having some more than favourable fixtures during the 20-year-old’s absence it may be time for Bielsa to give the winger a shot.
Indeed, the four games that the striker could miss are all against sides in the bottom half, so the Argentine may feel comfortable giving the 18-year-old a shot off the bench if the game is already won, something he’s failed to do so far.
If the teenager can impress in any cameo opportunities he gets, he may still have a part to play in Leeds’ season.