Marcelo Bielsa has hailed the importance of Patrick Bamford to Leeds’ survival bid as he prepares to welcome the England striker back from injury on Sunday.
Bamford, who scored 17 Premier League goals for United last season, has been out since September with an ankle problem.
Leeds have struggled to find a forward to replace the 28-year-old, netting only eight times in the 11 games he has missed.
But Bielsa has confirmed Bamford, who managed 90 minutes for the Under-23s on Monday, is fit enough to feature against Brentford and knows the difference he could make to his side.
‘He was a player who scored one goal every two games, which shows us his importance,’ said Bielsa, whose side are up to 15th after their late win over Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
‘Even when he does not score, he is an important part of the way the team functions.’
Bielsa, though, has not yet decided if Bamford will start. ‘Nobody just through their presence guarantees performance,’ he said.
‘A player can be healthy and fit, but the adaptation to the competition is something different. Sometimes that process is accelerated or takes longer. Sometimes the sporting reality of a team means a player returns quicker.’
Bielsa will also welcome back key right-back Luke Ayling, who has also been missing since September with a knee injury.