The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 16th March) Ten man Leeds hold Crystal Palace to goalless draw
Good Morning. It's Monday 16th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road
Ten man Leeds hold Crystal Palace to goalless draw
Leeds United and Crystal Palace played out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park on Sunday lunchtime, but despite the lack of goals, it still produced more than its fair share of drama. With the half‑time whistle looming, Will Hughes’ instinctive hand‑ball was spotted by referee Tom Bramall, who pointed to the spot for the visitors. Striker Dominic Calvert‑Lewin, back in the side after missing Leeds’ FA Cup win over Norwich stepped up, only to fire his penalty wide, handing Palace a massive psychological boost.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Within seconds the referee faced a flurry of contentious decisions involving Ismaila Sarr. First, trying to get Jaka Bijol sent off for a second yellow, as the Senegal winger rolled around on the grass clutching his face, then a minute or so later, successfully duping the referee, which saw Gabriel Gudmundsson go for an early bath. Walter Benítez, making his debut between the stick for the hosts, produced several sharp saves, including a crucial fingertip block of a Calvert‑Lewin header that kept the scores even.
Even when reduced to ten men, Leeds, showed resilience despite being reduced to ten men, tightening up defensively and limiting Palace to a solitary shot on target for the rest of the match. Palace thought they had won it when Jefferson Lerma headed the ball home, from a well executed corner but the goal was disallowed after a quick review showed Johnson off‑side in the build‑up. The decision left Leeds with a valuable point, the same as Forest (0-0 against Fulham) and Spurs 1-1 at Anfield).
Players bring shame on Crystal Palace
The drama that unfolded during first half injury time at Selhurst Park has left even the most seasoned pundits clutching their heads in disbelief after Gabriel Gudmundsson's second yellow card deep into first half injury time following Ismaila Sarr’s theatrical play acting. Leeds have leaned heavily on their wing‑backs this season to stay afloat; their marauding runs down the flank have become a real headache for opposition managers. Before the game, Oliver Glasner even went as far as to drag Brennan Johnson out of his natural midfield role and slot him into right‑back in the hope of blunting Gudmundsson’s attacking impulse.
The tactical shuffle shows that the Palace management were more than a little concerned about the harm Gudmundsson could inflict down the left flank, which may may have been a reason why the Palace players were celebrating like they won the World Cup. It was only because Jaydee Canvot was in ear shot of the Sky camera's (busting some moves) that he received the lions share of the Leeds abuse online, whilst other Palace players could be seen fist pumping, and high-fiving their magnificent achievement! Some have even suggested it was a pre-meditated ploy to get Gabby sent off.
The 'dark arts' are ruining the beautiful game
Sunday’s showdown at Selhurst Park was a stark reminder that the line between gamesmanship and cheating has virtually disappeared, and with it the very soul of the beautiful game. Crystal Palace’s theatrical first half performance was a masterclass in deception and dishonesty, but until the players face retrospective punishment, they will continue to con referee's to gain an advantage!
It's easy to blame the referee, after all he (or she) are the decision makers, but they can't be everywhere at once. Footballers at this level are highly skilled, and from 20 yards away when you see contact has been made, and next moment the player is writhing in (supposed) agony on the floor - a decision has to be made! Why are the fans not angry with the player, in this case Ismaïla Sarr?
I've raised this before, but why don't Leeds participate in the dark arts? Leeds had the chance to even the numbers on the hour mark when Brennan Johnson (already on a yellow) sent James Justin for flying lessons, yet the Leeds defender jumped back to his feet like a jack-in-the-box. It's understandable that players want every advantage they can get, there are such small margins in football, but it's not an even playing field.