Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen has hit out at Northern Ireland for playing Stuart Dallas in their World Cup play-off against Switzerland while carrying an injury.
The Leeds winger sustained a foot injury in the first match of the two-legged play-off and was expected to miss the return but shocked most observers by being named in the starting XI.
Dallas has subsequently broken down again and missed two of Leeds’ three matches since the international break.
Manager Christiansen confirmed at his media briefing on Thursday, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Phil Hay, that Dallas will also be absent from Friday’s Championship clash at Aston Villa.
He hit out at Ireland boss Michael O’Neill for fielding the winger in the second play-off match as “a bad decision for the future”.
Dallas and Lasogga miss the Villa game. Lasogga should join in with full training next week. Christiansen said the decision to field Dallas in Northern Ireland’s play-off was “a bad decision for the future.” #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) November 30, 2017
Midfielder Dallas has scored two goals in 13 Championship appearances for Leeds this season.
OPINION
Christiansen has every right to be furious at O’Neill. Dallas is a key member of the squad and was clearly in no state to play in the second of the two Ireland qualifiers. He was patched up and selected, but Leeds are now counting the cost of the impact of that decision. The wide man will miss the Villa trip – his third absence out of four – and may be sidelined for an extended period. With matches coming thick and fast in December, Christiansen would love to be able to call upon the proven second-tier winger, whose experience and versatility makes him a major asset.