Spotlight on Gaetano Berardi as defender advertises claims for new Leeds United deal

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa opted to bring Berardi into the starting XI and not Gjanni Alioski once Phillips was ruled out with a calf problem.

Alioski had replaced Phillips in the first-half of Saturday's 1-0 win at home to Reading after the holding midfielder's injury that saw several players switch positions.

Alioski came on as a left back meaning Stuart Dallas moved from left back to right back with Luke Ayling switching from right back to centre-back to allow Ben White to replace Phillips in the holding midfield role.

Yet against Boro, Bielsa decided to keep Dallas at left back and Ayling at right back as Berardi instead came into the side to partner skipper Liam Cooper at centre-back.

That meant all eyes on the 31-year-old Swiss defender in what was his first league start since the 3-3 draw at home to Cardiff City on December 14.

Only two outings had followed since - a start in the 1-0 loss at Arsenal in the FA Cup third and a brief league outing from the bench as an 86th-minute substitute in the epic 5-4 win at Birmingham City on December 29.

Berardi has been injured since but in what was his first league for two months, the defender put in a solid display at the Riverside and only two other players had more touches of the ball.

Berardi had 69 touches with Leeds regularly playing out from the back with fellow centre-back Cooper having 80 touches and attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez with 72.

Berardi weighed in with a reasonable passing success rate of 82 per cent - only ten per cent worse than Helder Costa whose 92 per cent passing success rate was the best on the pitch.

Berardi also weighed in with five interceptions - joint second behind only Stuart Dallas and level with Cooper - as well as two clearances with the Swiss defender also successful with his only attempted tackle and one out of two attempted aerial battles.

The 31-year-old was probably lucky to avoid conceding a free-kick and a possible booking when attempting to clear in the second half but all in all Berardi made an excellent return to the team.

Cooper and White appear to offer United's best centre-back pairing with Ayling usually an excellent third choice centre back but Berardi returned to once again clearly show his worth at a time when question marks remain over his long term future.

Berardi's current deal expires in the summer and when last asked about his contract situation by the media back in December, the defender merely said he was enjoying life at Leeds but did not know what his future held and would have to talk to the club about it.

It should also be remembered that the defender is best recognised as a right back and can also operate as a left back.

His outing at Boro might have acted as a double whammy - giving Bielsa food for thought as to possible selection for United's upcoming games and also in terms of advertising his claims for a new deal.