Leeds United’s defeat to Sunderland at Elland Road was marred by VAR controversy, leaving fans and players alike in disbelief. Joe Rodon had a goal disallowed, before Sunderland won a penalty.
The disallowed goal was a significant turning point. As the match approached the hour mark, Leeds looked set to break the deadlock when Rodon headed home from an Anton Stach free-kick.
However, the celebrations were cut short as VAR intervened. The Premier League match centre published an image showing Rodon had moved beyond the last defender, leading to the goal being chalked off.
A tough one to take – who was your MOTM and what went wrong? 🤔
“VAR checked the referee’s call of goal, and established that Rodon was in an offside position and recommended that the goal was disallowed,” stated the officials, explaining their decision.
Jermaine Beckford on Pascal Struijk incident
The VAR decisions have ignited fierce discussions among Leeds fans, who felt aggrieved by the officiating. The disallowed goal and subsequent penalty have been seen as unjust.
Not just that, but fans and pundits alike felt Leeds should have had a penalty for an incident involving Luke O’Nien and Pascal Struijk. Something that would earn a yellow card in rugby for high tackle.
Former Leeds striker and pundit Jermaine Beckford echoed these sentiments on TNT regarding VAR’s decision that O’Nien’s attempt to stop Struijk was not a clear or obvious error: “Absolute nonsense!
Watch Jermaine Beckford’s incredible rant on VAR’s decision on Pascal Struijk incident 👇
'Remember you're on television, Jermaine'
“Remember you’re on television, Jermaine. A man had his arms around Pascal Struijk’s neck. It’s a blatant penalty. That’s absolute nonsense. Watch it back 100 times, and 100 times out of 100, it’s a penalty.”
Why did the referee give a penalty against Ethan Ampadu
Just minutes after Rodon’s disallowed goal, Sunderland were handed a lifeline. A controversial penalty was awarded following a VAR review, with Leeds’ Ethan Ampadu adjudged to have handled the ball.
Despite initial resistance from referee Stuart Attwell, the decision was overturned after reviewing the pitchside monitor. Habib Diarra converted the penalty, giving Sunderland the lead.
“After review, Leeds 4 deliberately handles the ball in the penalty area. My final decision is penalty kick,” the referee said, after checking the pitchside monitor. The decisions came just six minutes apart.
Leeds had been the better side for much of the match, dominating possession but struggling to find the back of the net. The defeat leaves Leeds closer to the relegation zone, just six points above the drop.
Leeds must regroup and focus on their upcoming FA Cup tie against Norwich. The team will need to channel their frustration into performance improvements if they are to secure Premier League survival.
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