UK Edition
Leeds sweat over Pablo Hernandez injury after Garry Monk stifles playmaker in latest win over former club
Having suffered the setback of losing their place in the top two with Saturday’s defeat at Birmingham, Leeds United may have to contend with another if an injury scare over playmaker Pablo Hernandez turns into something more.
The 33-year-old Spanish midfielder has been Marcelo Bielsa’s most valuable attacking player, with 12 goals and 11 assists. Worryingly for Leeds, he left St Andrew’s with his left foot in a protective boot, raising immediate questions over whether he will be fit for their trip to Preston on Tuesday.
A club source said that although Hernandez completed the match, he suffered a kick on the leg and was wearing the protective boot as a precaution, although a closer assessment was planned for Monday.
As it happened, Hernandez was less influential than usual at St Andrew’s, which was a tribute to Birmingham manager Garry Monk’s tactical planning. Monk knows Hernandez well, having signed him for Leeds from the Qatar club Al-Arabi after previously working with him at Swansea.
Thanks to a 29th-minute goal by Che Adams, it was the second time this season that Monk’s current team has beaten Leeds.
“Pablo is a big influence on how Leeds attack,” Monk said. “He is their biggest supply line, that’s for sure. He’s the one who can deliver that and scores goals himself.
“But we did well with him today. We managed to squeeze him out of his normal positions, and to a place where he can still hurt you but you have a better chance of dealing with it.
“That showed in the second half when Pablo had to come deeper and hit more 30 to 40-yard passes rather than those little five, 10-yard passes, so credit to the players for following that plan.”
Monk left Leeds abruptly in 2017 amid misgivings about the future after a change of ownership at the club, but he would be as happy to give them some help this week as he is to have dealt them a blow. Birmingham, who have dropped uncomfortably close to the relegation places as a result of their points deduction, on Wednesday face Sheffield United, whose win at Preston pushed Leeds down to third.
“Between Leeds and Sheffield United they both have every chance (of promotion),” Monk said. “But you see it all the time at this stage of the season – there are ups and downs, twists and turns.
“Hopefully we can give them a twist, like we have with Leeds, but the focus is on ourselves. We need the three points and must fight as hard as we did today.”
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Camp; Colin, Dean, Morrison, Pedersen; Harding; Mahoney (Jota 75), G Gardner (Davis h-t), Kieftenbeld (Harding 57), Maghoma; Jutkiewicz, Adams. Substitutes not used: Trueman (g), Roberts, Vassell, Mrabti.
Leeds United (5-1-3-1): Casilla; Ayling, Cooper, Phillips, Jansson, Alioski; Klich (Clarke 69); Hernandez, Roberts, Harrison (Dallas h-t); Bamford (Roofe 69). Substitutes not used: Peacock-Farrell (g), Forshaw, Berardi, Shackleton.
Referee: Mike Dean (Cheshire)
Bookings: Birmingham: Dean. Leeds: Alioski, Jansson, Hernandez.