What referee Andrew Kitchen did to Ao Tanaka speaks volumes after Leeds United were wronged

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Leeds United got a desperately needed victory against Middlesbrough but it wasn’t easy due to some terrible officiating.

After an agonising run of just one win in six games, Leeds United picked up a massive three points as they defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Dan James got the only goal within two minutes but Daniel Farke’s side couldn’t press their advantage, with promotion-chasing Boro proving dangerous.

However, the match would have been much less nerve-wracking had two perfectly fine goals not been disallowed.

First, Ao Tanaka and then Patrick Bamford both saw goals chalked off for offside, even though they were both miles on.

The referee even approached Tanaka at the full-time whistle.

Referee approaches Tanaka after disallowed goal

The decision to rule Tanaka’s goal out was so egregious that Neil Warnock and Jermaine Beckford lambasted assistant Darren Williams, who had incorrectly ruled two Leeds goals out before in previous games.

Even Farke went as far as to say Williams should not officiate on Leeds games again and the referee seemingly knew the mistake that had been made.

Journalist Graham Smyth shared on X, formerly Twitter, the official Andrew Kitchen, went over to have a word with the Japanese international as they left the field.

Daniel Farke reaction to vital Leeds win

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Farke made it clear just how crucial the three points were against Middlesbrough.

After a week that verged on crisis, Leeds are back on top of the Championship table after Sheffield United lost to Millwall and Burnley were held to a stalemate by Derby County.

The manager said: “It was crucial today to return back to a clean sheet. Especially in the last few games we have conceded too many goals.

“We knew that we were going to be playing a red-hot, in-form Middlesbrough side who want to be structured against the ball.

“It was important to have many periods where we controlled the game. We were so dangerous on the counterattacks, scored a fantastic goal. No, sorry, we scored three goals.”