Noel Whelan reacts to Gaetano Berardi’s display in Leeds win

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Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds (broadcast on 7/3; 17:11) that he thought that Gaetano Berardi was brilliant during Leeds United’s win over Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Berardi came back into the side for their clash with the Terriers with Kalvin Phillips not being passed fit for the game at Elland Road.

And the Swiss helped Marcelo Bielsa’s side keep their fifth clean sheet in a row. It was also a victory that sent Leeds back to the top of the Championship.

Berardi looked a little shaky early on and picked up a yellow card during the first-half. But he grew into the game and hardly put a foot wrong over the large majority of the contest.

And Whelan suggested that he was hugely impressed with what he saw from Berardi.

“I’ve got to give a massive well done to Gaetano Berardi as well, because I thought his performance was brilliant,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “It’s not easy coming into a side when you’ve not had much football and you’re in and you’re out and you’re only coming in for one player to put another player further forward.

“But I thought he was exceptional, his discipline, the way he covered round, the way he defended. He looks a little more mature as a player. He’s getting the full lot out of him now.”

TBR View – Berardi proving an ideal understudy for Bielsa

It looks unlikely that Leeds fans will see Berardi fulfil the role of a first-team regular again unless the Whites have more serious injuries to contend with in the future.

But he has proved a point this season. He has rarely let the team down when he has come in. And he has been superb in his last two appearances for the table-toppers.

It will be fantastic news for Leeds if Phillips returns for their clash with Cardiff this weekend. But it would be no surprise if Berardi produces another good performance if he is needed once again.