Monk hints at unrest: Leeds player is unhappy at fringe status

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Published on:

20 Oct 2016, 7:58 am

By Alex Stevens

Garry Monk has revealed that Alex Mowatt is unhappy at his fringe status at Leeds this season.

The Elland Road manager admitted at his press conference on Thursday afternoon that the midfielder hasn't played as much as he would have liked in 2016-17.

An injury to Stuart Dallas paved the way for Mowatt to return to the Leeds starting XI in their 1-0 defeat to Derby last Saturday but he had a poor game and was back on the bench for the 1-1 draw against Wigan in midweek.

In total, the Leeds academy product has started only four of Leeds' 13 league fixtures this season, and only five out of 16 matches in all competitions.

"He hasn't played as many minutes as he'd like," said Monk, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Lee Sobot. "Of course form will dip up and down. He's a talented player."

Monk on Mowatt: "He hasn't played as many minutes as he'd like. Of course form will dip up and down. He's a talented player" #lufc #lufclive
— Lee Sobot (@LeeSobotYEP) October 20, 2016

The 21-year-old's star has fallen since he was crowned the club's player of the year in his breakthrough 2014-15 campaign, in which he scored an impressive nine league goals from midfield.

Monk must now decide who to play in the attacking midfield slots in Saturday's encounter against Wolves at Molineux.

Leeds are 13th in the table after taking only one point from their last two Championship matches.

In other Leeds news, a senior player is destined to leave the club in January.

Garry Monk

Leeds United

Alex Mowatt