Marcelo Bielsa could welcome both Jean-Kevin Augustin and Gaetano Berardi into his Leeds United team for their game against Nottingham Forest, as per a match preview by BBC Sport.
The 22-year-old is yet to feature for the Whites since completing his loan move to Elland Road from RB Leipzig and the manager appears to be taking a very relaxed approach when considering the forward.
In his recent pre-match press conference, Bielsa is thought to have used approximately around 1,500 words to describe how close the Frenchman is to making his first-team and it seems he might not be too close to playing a starting role (per Yorkshire Evening Post).
Match sharpness appears to be a big thing for the Leeds manager and that might also play a role in whether Berardi is also selected.
The Swiss defender has made 15 appearances in the Championship and has played just once since the turn of the year – Leeds’ 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup (TransferMarkt).
However, Leeds will have to do without Kalvin Phillips as the midfielder continues to serve his suspension by completing his three-match ban.
The 24-year-old has been a key figure for the Whites this season, especially when it comes down to his defensive ability.
According to the data by WhoScored, Phillips has managed to achieve an average of 2.9 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.3 clearances in his 27 total Championship appearances.
Indeed, Leeds’ form does not make for pretty reading at the moment as Bielsa’s side have only managed to knock up one win in their last six fixtures since entering 2020 (Sky Sports).
If automatic promotion is still to be on the cards at the end of the season, victory against Nottingham Forest would be a great way to keep those aims alive.
