Blogs

Berardi set to play left-back v Ipswich

|
Image for Berardi set to play left-back v Ipswich

Gaetano Berardi is set for his first start at left-back in over a year because of the injury crisis at Leeds, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post

The 30-year-old is normally deployed at centre-back, where he started against Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan.

Senior reporter Phil Hay claims that Leeds lost another left-back after Stuart Dallas was injured in the game against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Berardi came on for Dallas and the YEP claim that he is now expected to start at left-back on Sunday in the game against Ipswich.

The last time he started there was in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on April 2018.

Three other left-backs, Ezgjan Alioski, Barry Douglas and Leif Davis have already been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Bielsa said after the game, “We don’t know how serious it is yet but it’s hard to accept that your fourth left-back gets injured.”

Better news for Leeds is that top-scorer Kemar Roofe is expected to be fit after missing the Villa game with a hip injury.

OPINION

Leeds have had a ridiculous number of injuries this season and losing four left-backs would be laughable if it wasn’t so frustrating for Leeds fans. Luckily, in Berardi they’ve got someone more than capable of deputising. He played well in the second-half against Aston Villa on Sunday and the fiery character was even seen acting as the peacemaker during the big brawl that played out and when Pontus Jansson was angry that his teammates had let Aston Villa equalise. They can’t afford any more injuries in that position, though, and really are down to the bare bones ahead of the three play-off games coming up. The availability of Kemar Roofe could be key as Patrick Bamford has a nervy wait to see if he’s going to be the subject of retrospective action after an incident in the Villa game. He went down clutching his head and Anwar El Ghazi was sent off but replays showed there was no contact and that could come back to haunt the Leeds striker.  

Share this article