Former Leeds United star Noel Whelan says he would have dropped Ezgjan Alioski for the Whites' loss against Reading, after head coach Thomas Christiansen revealed he rested the forward.
Alioski has seen his performances in a Leeds shirt come under the microscope in recent weeks as the Whites have endured a disastrous run of league results.
The Macedonian, who was brought over to English football from Switzerland where he turned out for Lugano, was absent from the matchday squad against Reading at Elland Road.
Christiansen said after the 1-0 defeat that he took the call to rest Alioski, feeling the forward needed it.
But a critical Whelan said that Alioski's recent performances were enough to merit a dropping in any event.
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"International break or no international break I'd have dropped him anyway because he'd not been playing up to scratch", the ex-White said on BBC Radio Leeds.
"I'd have put [Kemar] Roofe in or [Stuart] Dallas in."
Roofe started against Reading, but was brought off in the 68th minute, while Dallas was introduced from the bench with just a minute of normal time left.
