Six Leeds United players are doubtful for Monday's Premier League game at Manchester United, with three already all but ruled out of their FA Cup semi-final.
But Anton Stach, Joe Rodon and Daniel James are already struggling to be fit for it. Stach and Rodon picked up ankle injuries in the quarter-final at West Ham United, which James missed with an adductor strain.
Winger James has not started consecutive club matches for just over a year – though he made back-to-back Wales appearances in November – but Stach and Rodon have been key figures.
Manager Daniel Farke has little choice but to talk up the opportunities for others.
"Normally you would say it's not realistic for both of them to be able to help us in April," he commented, “but of course our medical department is trying everything. It's the crunch period of the season and we want to have especially these players back as soon as possible.
"We will try step by step, day by day, to improve the situation and if they could feature at some point in April, it would be a bonus.
"Realistically we have to say probably we'll just see them back in May."
ANKLE INJURY: Anton Stach came off worst in this tackle by Max Kilman (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)placeholder image
ANKLE INJURY: Anton Stach came off worst in this tackle by Max Kilman (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Leeds play Wolverhampton Wanderers at home and Bournemouth away in April. The Premier League home game against Burnley has been brought forward to May 1.
On top of that, Jaka Bijol, Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson are doubts to play at Old Trafford when the Premier League returns after a three-week break.
"Jaka Bijol is currently struggling with a knock, he was not in team training yet this week," said Farke in Thursday's press conference.
“Noah Okafor was not in team training today, he is struggling with back problems.
ANKLE PROBLEM: Joe Rodon limps off at the London Stadium (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)placeholder image
ANKLE PROBLEM: Joe Rodon limps off at the London Stadium (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
"Gabbi Gudmundsson has made some progress. He came back with some light groin problems after the internationals.
"But all three of them are doubts.
"If we would play the game tomorrow, all three wouldn't be available. Thank God the game is on Monday. I'm hopeful I have all three ready."
Pascal Struijk and Sebastiaan Bornauw seem certain to play against the Red Devils but without Bijol as well as Rodon, James Justin would have to move inside from the left-wing-back role he filled on Sunday, or Ethan Amapdu from midfield.
PROBLEMS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)placeholder image
PROBLEMS: Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Stach has impressed so much as the inside-right in Leeds' 3-4-2-1 formation that he was recalled by Germany in March.
"We'll miss Anton," acknowledged Farke. "He can play in the midfield role, he is now playing a bit more advanced role.
"He's quite flexible and his physicality and ability to win balls high up on the pitch or in a deeper position, his strength at set pieces and in the air and his experience, his maturity, we will definitely miss this.
"It's a chance to shine for a different player."
Ao Tanaka has not started a Premier League game since before Christmas, but impressed against West Ham, whose low block gave him time on the ball.
The midfielder has been linked with a move away in the summer but Farke insisted he has seen no hint of a player wanting to leave, just one steadily improving as his confidence builds.
"He loves to play for this club and is happy with us, and I'm very happy with his development," said Farke. "Ao is not the youngest any more (27), but it's his first season in a top flight in his whole career.
"We found him in the second tier in German football, believed in him and gave him the stage. He was fantastic for us at Championship level and in this first season in the top flight there's always ups and downs.
"I think he had a good start to life in the Premier League, but then you could feel in some moments that he needs to adapt a bit,
"He was also pretty self-critical at times, and has mentioned publicly that he's not good enough yet for this level (after October's game against West Ham).
"In the cup game away at Birmingham he was perhaps not perfect, but we always believed in Ao.
"We've said, 'Listen, you don't have to dwell on these experiences.’ What I've seen in recent games and training was not just encouraging, but something I was very happy about. He has stepped up in training.
"In the cup game against Norwich he was there with a really good performance and this is why he got the nod also for this difficult away game at West Ham. I think he produced a really good performance.
"He has proven against a Premier League side that he can play at the top level, and right now the next task is for him to produce this level of performance with consistency.
"For Ao there is no limit because he's a top player."