In the latest podcast for The Square Ball, Phil Hay discussed the possibility of Luke Ayling returning to the Leeds United starting lineup on Saturday as they prepare to face Huddersfield Town. This potential inclusion is primarily to provide a much-needed break for Archie Gray, who has been very active on the field this season.
Luke Ayling, at 32 years old, began the first seven league games of the season but has seen reduced starts in the subsequent six matches. He has mostly appeared as a late substitute in the last three games against Bristol City, Norwich, and Stoke. Gray, on the other hand, has already featured in 18 matches for both his club and country this season, and during the game against Stoke, he showed signs of fatigue.
Phil Hay believes that it might be a wise decision to reintroduce Ayling into the starting lineup for the Huddersfield match. However, whether this means Gray will get some rest or be moved back into the midfield position remains to be seen. Glen Kamara remained an unused substitute during the game against Stoke.
Hay mentioned on The Square Ball podcast, “Part of me is thinking it might be a good idea to get Ayling back in there on Saturday because it is a short turnaround from Stoke to an early kick-off against Huddersfield.”
This move would make sense as Gray has played a significant amount of football, and his recent performances against Norwich and Stoke suggest he may benefit from a break. For the derby against Huddersfield, Leeds could use Ayling’s experience, as he is known for his memorable goal against Huddersfield during their promotion season under Marcelo Bielsa.
Despite Ayling not being in his prime, he remains a sensible option for the team. Djed Spence, Junior Firpo, and Stuart Dallas are sidelined, and Leeds are expected to secure all three points against Huddersfield, especially considering Huddersfield’s recent 4-0 loss to Cardiff in their last match.