The Athletic's Phil Hay has delivered a Leeds United injury update that is bound to excite fans...

What's the story?

Writing initially on Twitter, he said: "Patrick Bamford is on the verge of his first minutes for Leeds United since December - finally back in the fray. On the evidence of Saturday, how are Jesse Marsch’s side set up to attack? And how well will the system suit the club’s top centre forward?"

Then, in a follow-up article for The Athletic, he added: "Leeds do not expect Roberts to return before their season finale away to Brentford on May 22 but Bamford is in the wings after his appearance on the bench at the weekend, almost ready to play.

"Marsch was cautious in the run-up to the Leicester trip, putting his striker through only part of a training session on Thursday morning, and he chose not to gamble late in the game 48 hours later. Bamford is far more likely to figure against Aston Villa and Norwich City this week — successive home matches upon which so much hangs."

Game-changer for Leeds

After tasting defeat in his first game in charge, Jesse Marsch gets the big injury boost that his predecessor, Marcelo Bielsa, no doubt spent months desperately hoping for.

Make no mistake about it, Bamford's absence for large parts of this Premier League campaign has been a major blow for the Whites and robbed them of their one true out-and-out goal-scoring threat.

The England international enjoyed a superb season in the Whites' return to the top-flight last year, netting 17 goals and providing another eight assists in the division - in fact, only Spurs talisman Harry Kane outscored the Leeds man in terms of the players Gareth Southgate chose for the England squad for the EUROs, while only the Three Lions captain, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish provided more assists than him.

His start to this campaign was quite promising too, with one goal and two assists in his first five top-flight games before picking up that ankle injury.

With games running out for Leeds, and the points being badly needed to preserve their Premier League status, having Bamford finally back is sure to have fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this attacker...