Former Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster has given his verdict on whether Lucas Perri is to blame for Aston Villa’s second goal.
Lucas Perri has had a rocky start to life in the Premier League with Leeds, having joined the club on a big-money deal in the summer.
The Brazilian goalkeeper was criticised for his role in a Nottingham Forest goal in Leeds’ defeat at the City Ground, and he did not escape the blame for his role in the defeat against Aston Villa.
Leeds fans took aim at Perri after Morgan Rogers’ free-kick flew over the wall and into the net for Villa’s second goal, although former England goalkeeper Joe Hart defended Perri after the game.
Now, Foster has backed Hart’s assessment that Perri was unfortunate with the goal as Leeds fell to another Premier League defeat.
Who should start in goal for Leeds United?
Ben Foster defends Leeds United goalkeeper Lucas Perri
Speaking on the Cycling GK podcast, Foster delivered his view on whether Perri was to blame for the game’s decisive goal.
According to Foster, goalkeepers have virtually no time to react when a free-kick goes over the wall, and Perri could do little to react to Rogers’ shot.
Foster said: “As soon as it starts to move and all that, but once it goes over the wall, you’re in trouble anyway because you’ve got less than a second.
“You’ve got less than a second, and if you’re not already moving that way because the ball is doing a bit, because it can go back and forth, you take half a little step, a quarter of a little step, an eighth of a step, game over, done.
“So I’d say he would look at it and think, I probably should have done better, but I don’t think you can blame him.”
Daniel Farke is likely to stick with Lucas Perri for Manchester City test
Although Perri has received criticism for his recent performances, Leeds boss Daniel Farke is unlikely to change his goalkeeper for the difficult trip to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.
Leeds’ second-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow is an experienced back-up option; however, he also came under fire during his run in the Leeds team.
Joe Hart doesn’t agree with what Leeds United fans have been saying about Lucas Perri 🗣️
“It threatens to swerve right to left. But it dips the other way. Perri is set for the ball to come towards him, making calculations in his head, but it dips the other way and Perri is stuck in the mud. Can’t move.”
Joe Hart
If Farke elected to drop Perri, Gabriel Gudmundsson would be the last of Farke’s big-money summer signings left in the Leeds back five, with Jaka Bijol dropping to the bench for the game against Villa.
Leeds need consistency in their back five to help end the recent run of goals they have conceded. Now is the time to stick with Perri to allow him to find his feet in the Premier League.
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