Barry Douglas has endured a tough season so far with injuries preventing him from nailing down a place in the starting line-up, as the pairing of Ezgjan Alioski and Stuart Dallas have also kept him out of the side.
As a result, he started the match against West Brom on the bench but his impact after he came on at half-time led to an improvement from the Whites, as they fought their way back to earn a valuable draw.
The Scot was a key part of the Wolves side which won promotion from the Championship in 2018, producing 20 goal contributions but he has been unable to rediscover that form in 2019/20, making only 11 appearances and contributing zero goals and assists.
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Despite that, supporters pointed out the balance that he brought to the side in place of Alioski. Considering he was coming up against one of the best Championship wingers in Matt Phillips, who has 11 goal contributions this term, he did well to nullify the Baggies attack and ensure the opposition didn’t add to their early goal.
If the 30-year-old can maintain his fitness over the coming weeks then Marcelo Bielsa will have a selection headache on his hands, as he has three players capable of playing left-back.
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Dallas and Alioski have both picked up plaudits from fans for their contributions this season, despite neither being naturally suited to the role, though their three and four respective goals highlight the impact they’ve made and why they may be so popular.
Douglas’ re-introduction could make the Whites more defensively solid, however, which is much-needed after a decline in recent weeks that has led the team to 11 goals conceded in five matches.
The full-back also offers Leeds an effective weapon in attack via his set-pieces, and many fans point to that factor as a reason why he should return to the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, Billy Sharp has been linked with a return to Leeds over the festive period, find out what our team of Football FanCast writers had to say about the possible move.
