BBC pundit says 30-year-old Leeds player ‘unlucky’ to be overlooked by Daniel Farke

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Aidy White has given his verdict on Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke’s decision not to include Sam Byram in the starting lineup against Rotherham United at Elland Road.

The former Leeds player and BBC Radio Leeds pundit thinks that Byram was “unlucky” to be left out.

So, what has Aidy White said about Leeds United right-back Sam Byram? Let’s take a look.

Leeds United right-back Sam Byram deemed ‘unlucky’

Well, Leeds United took on Rotherham United at Elland Road in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke did not include Byram in the starting lineup. The 30-year-old right-back started the match on the bench. Archie Gray was deployed at right-back.

Byram featured for Leeds in the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday evening. He started the match at right-back and played until the third minute of injury time.

Leeds did not miss Byram against Rotherham. The Whites won the Championship game 3-0.

Aidy White was following the match for BBC Radio Leeds, and after the game, he said that Byram was unlucky not to start against Rotherham, adding that it shows the options available to head coach Farke.

White said on BBC Radio Leeds: “I said, like Sam Byram in commentary, he played well against Plymouth, unlucky not to play today, but then gets half an hour. If you are 1-0 down, you don’t get the opportunity to get rotate as much and give vital minutes to play. So, it’s nice to see that we can do that.”

My View: Archie Gray deserves to continue to play at right-back

While Sam Byram did well for Leeds United in the FA Cup, there is no escaping that Archie Gray is the number one right-back for Daniel Farke.

Gray, who was linked with Liverpool in the January transfer window, is a midfielder by trade, but the 17-year-old has been playing mainly in defence this season.

The teenager has made 27 starts and two substitute appearances in the Championship for Leeds this season. He has given one assist in those games.

Leeds are third in the Championship table at the moment with 63 points from 31 matches, a point behind second-placed Southampton, who have played 30 games.