Jack Harrison will do well to keep his place in Leeds United’s first XI this weekend.
Leeds United received a big boost last week when it was announced that the English Football League had rescinded Gaetano Berardi’s red card against Millwall.
The Swiss defender was sent off in the first half of Leeds’ 2-1 defeat at The Den for being deemed to have tripped Tom Bradshaw in the penalty area, leading to the Lions taking a 1-0 lead from the spot, but television replays indicate that Berardi made no contact.
That means that the 31-year-old, in the eyes of the EFL, still only has the seven red cards for United, and the good news here is that he’s available to continue in central defence on Saturday when Birmingham City visit Elland Road.
With Liam Cooper out injured and Kalvin Phillips needed in midfield, Marcelo Bielsa could have done without Berardi picking up another suspension and the fact that he’s available is very good news.
But there could and should be changes further up the field and arguably none more pressing than Jack Harrison.
The Leeds loanee is making a mockery of the report that Manchester City wanted £20 million for him this past summer [The Sun], playing like a man who’s worth one-tenth of that right now.
Harrison has only scored once in 11 Championship games – at Bristol City on the opening day – and is slowly morphing into the same talented-but-frustrating winger who only really began stringing together consistent displays at the end of last season.
He hasn’t been at the races these past few weeks, despite setting up Ezgjan Alioski’s consolation at The Den. For somebody who has played 867 minutes of a possible 990 in the Championship, he needs to be doing so much more and a stint on the bench might not be such a bad idea.
Alioski could displace him on the left-hand side of attack, with Barry Douglas playing in defence instead of the Macedonian. It remains to be seen whether Pablo Hernandez is fit after missing the last two games, but Helder Costa, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, can step in.
Below is HITC‘s potential XI for the visit of Pep Clotet’s outfit.
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