Does Vurnon Anita’s Leeds United future hinge on who Paul Heckingbottom chooses as Gaetano Berardi’s short-term successor at left-back?
According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Gaetano Berardi will play no further part in Leeds United’s season after picking up a third red card of the campaign in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland.
The 29-year-old was sent off for a reckless lunge on Callum McManaman late on in the stalemate at Elland Road and will sit out the Whites’ remaining Championship games due to suspension, as reported by The YEP.
Fortunately, Leeds, who sit 13th in the Championship, have very little to play for, but Berardi’s absence will open the door for Vurnon Anita or Tom Pearce to stake a claim to finish United’s season at left-back.
And could Anita, the former Newcastle United utility man, wind up leaving if head coach Paul Heckingbottom elects to play Pearce?
The 29-year-old was an unused substitute in Leeds’ last four games prior to the visit of Sunderland, before making a last-minute cameo after Berardi’s dismissal.
He could and should be expecting to benefit from his team-mate’s suspension, but the writing would surely be on the wall for Anita if Heckingbottom plays 19-year-old Pearce – who only has 76 minutes of Championship experience under his belt – ahead of him in the remaining games.
It would represent a major insult for a player who helped Newcastle win promotion to the Premier League last season, and Anita, who has three senior caps for the Netherlands, should certainly consider leaving if Pearce is given the nod ahead of him.
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