Mikel Arteta handed boost as Leeds reveal three stars could miss Arsenal clash | Football

Daniel Farke could be without three first-team stars when Leeds United face Arsenal on Saturday.

The Premier League is back after a three-week international break with the champions hosting Leeds at the Emirates having been thrashed away to Brighton last time out.

Leeds sit in fifth place, three points behind the Gunners, after their impressive start to the new campaign but are set to be without winger Daniel James for their trip down south.

The former Manchester United star picked up a back injury while representing Wales during the international break.

His national teammate Joe Rodon will also not make the trip to the Emirates, returning to individual training after his recent layoff but not deemed fit enough for this weekend.

‘Joe (Rodon) is on his way back in his rehab making good progress,’ Farke said. ‘He has already had individual sessions on the pitch but it will be a bit until he is back in team training.

‘Also, Daniel James will miss the Arsenal game, so he is out with a back injury.

‘He came back with this back injury, more or less, from his national team and for that he is not available for this game.’

Summer signing Harry Wilson did return to training this week but Farke says he will make a late decision on his fitness.

Opposition perspective: Leeds will prefer to deal with Gyokeres instead of Havertz

Leeds United have started the new season in thrilling form but were on the wrong end of a 5-0 hammering in the same fixture last season.

Viktor Gyokeres scored twice that afternoon but according to former White’s defender Matt Kilgallon, Daniel Farke’s side will feel far more comfortable dealing with the threat of the Swede.

‘For me, the only team that ever made Leeds United looked like a newly promoted team, throughout the entirety of last season; it was Arsenal,’ Kilgallon told Metro via a top site to bet on football.

‘Even though Gyokeres scored two of those five goals in the same fixture last season, from my point of view as a centre-half, I would still rather his name on the team sheet than Havertz, 100%.

‘Havertz is an absolute handful, and has a bit of everything about him. It’s not just him individually, but I think that Arsenal also play better as a team and a collective when he plays, just because of his link up play and he has the ability to hold the ball up, to lay it off to runners and bring everyone else around him into play.

‘I just don’t see that as much in Gyokeres if I’m totally honest – it’s just not his game.’

‘Also some good news with Harry Wilson after his muscle injury – he is back in team training since Tuesday.

‘Again, we also have to wait right now how his body reacts but there is also a chance for him to be available going into this game.’

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