Leeds have ‘no plan B’ without Wood – Kermorgant
READING striker Yann Kermorgant has courted controversy by claiming that Leeds United have ‘no plan B’ without top-scorer Chris Wood – ahead of Saturday’s crunch meeting at the Madejski Stadium.
United are sweating on the fitness of 27-goal Wood, who picked up a heavy knock playing for New Zealand on Saturday, with incendiary comments from veteran Royals forward Kermorgant having derided the Whites’ credentials without him.
Championship player of the year candidate Wood has struck 24 of United’s 52 league goals so far this term, including a strike in the 2-0 home win over Reading on December 13 in a game which saw him substituted with an injury in the first half shortly after firing United’s opener.
In his absence, Leeds won the home game against Brentford four days later and also claimed a noteworthy draw at play-off chasing Fulham without his presence earlier this month.
But Kermorgant, whose manager Jaap Stam has labelled Leeds as a ‘very physical side’, commented: “Chris Wood has scored nearly all of Leeds’s goals this season. If he gets injured, they have no plan B.
“As a striker, I always want more goals but as long as we get a result, I am happy.”
Meanwhile, Huddersfield Town have been handed a surprise fillip with the news that influential Jonathan Hogg is set to return to the training pitch on Sunday – after seeing a consultant neurosurgeon for a third opinion after suffering a neck injury earlier this month.
Hogg was initially diagnosed with a suspected fracture in his cervical spine after colilding with Mark Hudson in the recent 4-0 loss at Bristol City on March 17 – and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
But following a review and a further visit to a surgeon on Tuesday, Hogg has been given the allclear to return to training.
Head coach David Wagner, reportedly being mooted by West Ham as an option should they part company with Slaven Bilic in the summer, said: “This is absolutely brilliant news for the club, but particularly for Hoggy.
“It is going to be brilliant to have him back on the training pitch with the team, hopefully late this week; it is a real boost for Jonathan, his team-mates and the fans.”