Charlie Taylor was left out of the team for Leeds United’s draw with QPR despite returning from injury in midweek.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk
Leeds boss Garry Monk has told BBC Radio Leeds that Charlie Taylor being left out of the Whites’ team for their clash with Queens Park Rangers was always the plan, and not due to any setbacks following his recent return to the side.
The left-back had spent the best part of three months on the sidelines due to injury but returned to the starting lineup for the draw away at Fulham in midweek and played the full 90 minutes.
However, he was left on the bench for the stalemate with QPR on Saturday as Monk instead decided to go with Luke Ayling and Gaetano Berardi at full-back, even though the former only needed to get past Saturday without picking up another caution if he wanted to avoid a two-game ban this term.
But Monk has alleviated any doubts regarding how Taylor was feeling following his return to action by insisting that he was never going to start the QPR clash anyway.
“No, but that was always the plan, to make that change,” he told BBC Radio Leeds when asked whether Taylor had had any problems following his return to the team.
Leeds’ Charlie Taylor
“We have to help Charlie as well, but I’m sure Charlie, like all the players, they’ll all be ready for next week.”
The news that Taylor did come through unscathed will be particularly pleasing to Leeds fans as Ayling did pick up a tenth yellow card of the campaign against the Hoops so will now miss the crucial games with Brighton and Reading.
But with Berardi in such fine form, and Monk insisting that Taylor is absolutely fine and ready to come back in, it appears that Ayling’s suspension may not hurt Leeds as much as some fans may have initially feared.
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