Leeds United will be without new goalkeeper Lucas Perri for their upcoming Premier League games against Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Brazilian has a quad problem, so Karl Darlow is set to start at Craven Cottage on Saturday. It will be the 34-year-old's first Premier League game since he played for Newcastle United at home to Brentford in November 2021, but manager Daniel Farke says he has no concerns about throwing him in.
There was some more positive injury news, however, with two players in contention to return from injury in west London.
"I can confirm is that Lucas Perri is definitely out for the game," said Farke. "He reported some problems after the last game with his squad.
MIXED INJURY NEWS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Jack Thomas/Getty Images)placeholder image
MIXED INJURY NEWS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Jack Thomas/Getty Images)
"We had a scan and there's muscle strain and he will definitely miss the next two games.
"Then we will see and have a bit more clarity when he will return, but definitely out for the next two games."
Farke also has concerns up front.
"(There is) at least little question marks behind Lucas Nmecha," he revealed. "He got a hit on his foot and missed training yesterday (Thursday). Joel Piroe got a hit in his calf, a big bruise in his calf.
QUAD INJURY: Lucas Perri (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
QUAD INJURY: Lucas Perri (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
"We have to wait how their body reacts in the next 48 hours."
But there was better news on Ethan Amapadu and Ao Tanaka, who suffered medial knee ligament injuries in the opening week of the season.
"Both since the beginning of this week (Have been) integrated in major parts of team training," said Farke.
"Ethan was slightly ahead of schedule in terms of his injury. But we have also 48 more hours and we take a late decision with them. So both is possible with them.
"It's possible that we perhaps travel with both of them for the squad. It's possible that we just take one of them with us to Fulham. It's also possible that no one of them will travel with us."
Darlow was at fault for Sheffield Wednesday's goal in the League Cup second-round defeat at Hillsborough but having made him first-choice for last season's Championship run-in, Farke is relaxed about turning to him again.
"If you look sometimes at a mistake Manuel Neuer has made then you could also be worried but you have to look at the career and what a goalkeeper does with consistency," he argued. "ow Karl kept his nerves and his calm at the end of the last season in the crunch-time period was outstanding.
"In pre-season he looked unbelievably sharp, top fitness level.
"I've also watched the games for his national team – many clean sheets in the last games, many top performance.
"I'm not concerned at all.
"Sometimes even a goalkeeper like Karl has a situation where he would have wished he could have done better, it's the fate of a goalkeeper.
"But just because of this game I'm not worried at all.
"I'm pretty sure he will deliver a top performance at the weekend.
"We all trust Karl and he has proven enough at the end of last season and in pre-season.
"He's an experienced goalkeeper, he knows the Premier League inside out. He's not a guy who cracks under pressure and for that he has all our
backing and all our confidence."