Noel Whelan thinks that Luke Ayling might not get his right-back spot back at Leeds United due to the form of Stuart Dallas, who he believes is now fitter, hungrier and classier.
The Northern Ireland international has been praised for his displays under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road this season and was again in fine form on Saturday as Leeds eased to a 3-0 win at Stoke City.
Whelan picked Dallas as his man of the match at the bet365 Stadium and believes he fully deserved his goal in the game.
The former Leeds forward thinks that Dallas is a man transformed and is fitter, hungrier and classier than last season.
Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds: "Man of the match today for me was Stuart Dallas. I think he just never stopped running.
"He was up and down that right hand side. He was involved in defending, involved in the midfield area, involved in getting forward.
"He deserved that goal because right from the beginning of the season we've seen a fitter Stuart Dallas, we've seen a hungrier Stuart Dallas, a classier Stuart Dallas.
"There is something in him right now that just says to me Luke Ayling might not get his place back."
Dallas was a doubt for the meeting with Stoke, but pulled through to be named in the starting eleven.
Leeds again play Stoke on Tuesday night, in the EFL Cup, and head coach Bielsa will be expected to shake his starting eleven up.
The Whites' next Championship assignment is at Elland Road against Swansea City, before September's international break kicks in.
