Leeds United will face Queens Park Rangers in the championship clash on Saturday at Elland Road.
The Whites are down to bare bones in defence, with Leeds missing several key players for this game.
Ahead of the match, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has suggested that young defender Jamie Shackleton will come into the starting line-up against Rangers on Saturday.
The Yorkshire club have been hit hard with a series of injury problems throughout the season, but Leeds have always found a way to counter it.
Currently, they have a crisis at right-back. Both Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas have been ruled out with injury, and as a result, Bielsa has no options left than to start with the 19-year-old.
“Honestly, I think Ayling couldn’t play, Dallas played, now Dallas can’t and Shackleton will play,” Bielsa said to Leeds Live.
“This is thanks to the work the academy did for the first team. We solved the absences in one way or another. Of course we are aware of the kind of player we are losing.
“The solutions we are finding, they are allowing us to stay optimistic. The youngsters among the first team, from 18 to 23, the youngsters contribute a lot to the resolution of our needs.”
Shackleton is a highly rated young talent. He has made six Championship appearances for the club this season, but has started only once.
He has not started a league game for Leeds since August, and it won’t be easy for him to gel into the first team quickly especially with games coming thick and fast.
Leeds are second in the Championship table with 39 points after 20 games.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
