Leeds United's sale of Chris Wood could prove detrimental in the long-term, warns Richie Wellens

Burnley striker Chris Wood will prove to be a "huge loss" for Leeds United and his absence could play on the minds of the rest of Thomas Christiansen's squad, according to Oldham Athletic manager Richie Wellens.

Leeds reluctantly sold the New Zealand international to the Clarets for £15m during the summer transfer window and replaced him Pierre-Michel Lasogga, who has enjoyed a rather productive start to life at Elland Road with three goals and two assists in six matches.

Christiansen will hope Lasogga will prove to be the man to adequately fill the void left by Wood. But Wellens, who has led Oldham to four straight wins since taking temporary charge, thinks that some within the Leeds ranks may start to worry where the goals are going to come from if the Hamburg loanee fails to keep up his bright start to life in the English second tier.

"Chris Wood is going to be a huge loss. The initial reaction might have been good but long term you're thinking as a midfield player or a defender, 'Who's going to get our goals?'" Wellens said on Sky Sports' show EFL Matters.

"It can just change the way you're going to play, change you're thinking. If you've got a goalscorer up front who can score at any moment it switches you on because you know you can win the game."

Wood almost fired Leeds to Premier League promotion last season and has made a rather positive start to life in England's top tier. The New Zealand international has netted four times for his new club including a late equaliser against West Ham United on Saturday (14 October) and will be hoping to build on his encouraging beginning as Burnley's focal point against Manchester City, who have scored 17 goals in their last three home league games.

On the other hand, Leeds, who beat Burnley on penalties in the third round of the Carabao Cup last month, will be hoping to arrest a run of three straight defeats when they travel to Ashton Gate to face high-flying Bristol City on Saturday. Christiansen's men started the new campaign in impressive fashion but four defeats in their last five league matches have seen them slump from the summit of the Championship table to sixth.