Batty held back by fitness problem

LEEDS manager Terry Venables claims it is David Batty’s lack of fitness which has seen the midfielder frozen out of the first-team picture at Elland Road this season.

Batty claims otherwise and is baffled by Venables’s decision to not include him, even in the reserves, as was the case on Monday night when he was not part of the second-string squad which beat Newcastle 4-2 at Gateshead.

Batty, whose contract does not expire until the summer of 2004 and who is earning £25,000 a week at Elland Road, says he is fit and ready to play for the club, where he is idolised by fans who chanted his name during Sunday’s defeat at Blackburn.

Batty’s agent, Hayden Evans, said: “The whole situation is a complete mystery to us. To put things in perspective, David is fully fit and is currently doing what he is paid to do as a paid employee of Leeds United.

“There have been no tantrums, no sulks or anything like that. David has made himself available for both

reserve-team football and first-team football,” he said.

“But at the moment it seems, for the first time in his career, he is obviously about fifth choice for a midfield slot and, although it’s unsettling, David will keep his head down and carry on working hard.”

But Venables, who concedes there has been no fall-out with Batty, who missed just two Premiership games last season, said:

“David is available for selection like anybody else.

“He has been training with us and he has been playing in the reserves, although he did not play last night and that’s because he is not fit.

“His agent should come to me if he wants to discuss anything.”

Leeds skipper Dominic Matteo, meanwhile, is on course to face reigning Premiership champions Arsenal in Saturday’s clash at Elland Road.

The 28-year-old centre-back returned yesterday to the training ground after a recent lay-off for an knee injury which has plagued him throughout the season.

Striker Robbie Fowler is also on course to return ahead of schedule after a hip operation after the World Cup, while injury-plagued midfielder Seth Johnson made his latest comeback in the reserves on Monday night.