A stray elbow from Matt Derbyshire led to Gaetano Berardi being in the wars again against Rotherham, however he is patched up and ready to go according to the Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP).
The challenge by Derbyshire was neither violent nor particularly vicious, but the “unnatural position” of his arm, according to Leeds boss Steve Evans, left the referee no alternative but to issue the Rotherham player a red card.
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What compounded the issue was that the challenge was forceful enough to open a cut above Berardi’s right eye, a cut that required a hastily-made dressing and later stitches to close a wound that initially gushed blood.
However, the YEP state in their article that, despite the damage done by Derbyshire’s elbow, Swiss defender Berardi is available for the QPR game tonight.
Despite the obvious injury to Berardi’s face, Rotherham manager Neil Warnock has said the club will appeal Derbyshire’s red card, describing the decision as a “harsh” one. However, Leeds boss Evan dismisses the chances of a successful appeal saying: “They’ve got no chance with an appeal. I’ve watched it again and he (Derbyshire) clearly leads with his arm. It’s in an unnatural position so I don’t think they can have any complaints. Matt is not the type to do that on purpose but he caught Berra and everyone saw the state he was in.”
On the topic of his dismissal of the likelihood that Rotherham will have Derbyshire’s red card rescinded, Evans confirms that Berardi is battered and bruised but will be ready for tonight’s game against QPR. The Whites head coach said to the YEP: “He’ll need a few more bandages and he’s had stitches but we’re happy with how he’s healing up so he’s available.”
