Ernst Middendorp revealed Kearyn Baccus is usually a regular in the starting line-up, but explained why the Kaizer Chiefs midfielder started on the bench.
Read: Chiefs Move 10 Points Clear After Dropping Points
Chiefs missed the chance to move 12 points clear of second-place Mamelodi Sundowns after drawing 1-1 with Black Leopards on Saturday afternoon.
After impressing in the win over Cape Town City, Baccus was only named on the bench but Middendorp did not want to have too many new players at a stadium like Thohoyandou.
"As I said before, you have players who have not been around this area, Baccus is normally a first XI player, Samir [Nurkovic] hasn't been here too and you could see, the fear to handle the environment, to handle the heat," Middendorp told SuperSport TV.
"I thought okay let me start with one who doesn't know anything about it here and then during the game bring Kearyn and some other guys in, good normally it works and the was time enough to put it in place.
"We always say we don't only have 11 players, we have 12, 13, 14 belonging to our first choice, give us some options and that's it," he added.