Patrick Bamford makes frank injury admission as Kalvin Phillips reveals Leeds United's unspoken target

Patrick Bamford makes frank injury admission

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has his sights set on next season as he admits his chances of appearing again this term are slim.

Plagued by injury woes, the 28-year-old has already missed more than half of the Premier League season.

Bamford first suffered an ankle injury at St James' Park in September then, when recovered, scored on his return against Brentford but damaged his hamstring in the celebration.

Even then, he couldn't catch a break as the muscular injury was replaced by an issue with the bottom of his foot.

It is expected that Bamford's plantar fascia rupture will take six weeks to recover, which could see him back in action for matches against Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion at the end of the season, but the striker isn't holding his breath.

“I kind of know that there’s a good chance that I won’t play again this season and that, if I do, it’s a bonus,” said Bamford.

“In my head already I have set my target on the start of next season and I am working towards that and trying to get in the best shape possible for that so I think that is going to help for me.”

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Kalvin Phillips reveals Leeds United target

Premier League survival is the ultimate aim that the Leeds United squad don't talk about in the dressing room, Whites midfielder Kalvin Phillips has revealed.

United have been lingering at the bottom of the table for most of the season as injuries to key players have proved disruptive.

Leeds' poor form led to the dismissal of former manager Marcelo Bielsa in February and his replacement Jesse Marsch has since led the side to a more comfortable league position.

The Whites now sit nine points clear of the drop zone in 16th place.

But there has never been talk of going down among the players, according to Phillips.

“I think the target is always to survive in the Premier League," Phillips said.

“We don’t really speak in the group as if we are going to go down or there’s a chance of us going down.

“We are always confident and that’s the way it should be."

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Joe Gelhardt on moving between teams

Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt says he approaches all games of football the same, no matter if he's playing for the seniors or the under 23s.

The youngster has racked up nearly 500 Premier League minutes this season while proving himself a very able deputy in the absence of the injured Patrick Bamford.

Gelhardt was reponsible for one of the season's most euphoric moments, causing Elland Road to erupt with a stoppage time winner against relegation rivals Norwich City in March.

On his journey to recovery from a back spasm, Gelhardt for the under 23s in a Premier League 2 clash against Crystal Palace in front of a much smaller crowd of just under 5,000.

But the change of occasion has no impact on the attacker's effort.

"It's a lot harder physically playing with the first team but then you go back down to the 23s and we have got a group of lads who do the same as well," Gelhardt said.

"We are not the type of people who will take our foot off the gas just because it's an under 23s game.

"We will always try our best and treat it like a first team game and get the most out of it.

"For me, it's a bit weird if it's not at Elland Road with the fans and whatever to give you that extra boost but you still give it 100 per cent always."

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