LEEDS United have suffered a blow with news that Liam Bridcutt will remain sidelined for up to two months with a foot injury.

Bridcutt, who was forced off during the second half of the league victory over Blackburn Rovers earlier this month, has been absent for the last four games and scan results have delivered bad news.

Boss Garry Monk said: "He went for a scan on Monday in London and the results weren’t too good.

“We’re looking at about six to eight weeks with the injury that he has in his foot, which is not good news.

“It’s a bit of a blow for us and I’m disappointed for Liam himself. But we have a good medical team here, we’ll recoup him very well and we’ll make sure that he’s ready to try and get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

“We all talk about metatarsals now but with Liam I think it’s his second metatarsal.

“We thought it was bruising at the start – that was what the first scan showed – but because it wasn’t quite healing how we expected, we to re-scan him.

“I think it’s a slight fracture in there and the diagnosis for that is six to eight weeks. It’s a blow for us but more for Liam, who was playing well at that point and getting a run of games under his belt.

“It’s a little bit stop-start for him but he’s a good pro, he’ll do the right rehab and he’ll be ready to come back out on the pitch in the next six to eight weeks.”

Pontus Jansson, meanwhile, could be available for Saturday’s Yorkshire derby at home to Barnsley, with Monk optimistic of having the defender in contention despite a hamstring tweak at Bristol City.

“Pontus came off the pitch on Tuesday as a precautionary measure,” said the United boss. “He just felt a bit of tightness in his hamstring, but he’s been out the grass today so we’re very hopeful with him."