Leeds United training boosts on the cards at Thorp Arch as Norwich City preparations begin

Cavalry will hopefully arrive to boost Leeds United as their week’s preparation for the play-offs begins at Thorp Arch. Daniel Farke has his fingers crossed there will be returns from players who can provide a catalyst in the most important week of the season to date.

Two wins in the final eight games of the regular season have opened the door to pessimism and fear this squad is running out of steam as they take their final chance for promotion. Norwich City await on Sunday and the Leeds manager hopes to have his arsenal replenished ahead of the trip to Carrow Road.

“In the last weeks, we had a few problems because some key players were not available,” he said. “I hope also we can use the upcoming days to have them available for the, hopefully, three finals.”

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One of the few silver linings from Saturday’s loss to Southampton was the 78th-minute introduction of Connor Roberts, who has been in and out of the team with injury since the international break. The right-back will hope to build on that cameo with a full week of work that puts him into contention in Norfolk.

“It (a clear week of training) will be beneficial for a player like Connor Roberts,” said Farke. “For example, today (Saturday), he had just one training session. I was happy I was able to give him at least 10, 15 minutes today back on the pitch. [It will be] beneficial for him.”

Patrick Bamford has missed the last two games with a bruised knee, despite scans showing there is no evidence of an injury or damage. Farke is hopeful the striker and Daniel James can each put themselves onto the coach for the first leg on Sunday lunchtime.

“Hopefully, there's also a chance Patrick Bamford and Daniel James will return to the group because we also desperately need these types of players who, especially Patrick in the second half of the season, played a crucial role, Daniel James, over the whole season,” he said. “We need this week in order to work on the training pitch because we have a really young side and some of my young players have lost a bit of their momentum, their confidence. You could sense this today in the game.

“It's important to have a bit of time to prepare, to give them good moments on the training pitch, to find their confidence back, to find their rhythm back, their momentum back because there will be tough games upcoming. We need to be at our best, and [in] our prime, in order to give ourselves a chance to go to the final and to reward ourselves in three weeks' time with the best possible prize you can have in a Championship season. This prize is a promotion to the Premier League.”