Willy Gnonto ‘should’ve been sent off for unnecessary incident’ in Leeds defeat vs Man City – Ex-PGMOL chief
Willy Gnonto wrongly escaped without a red card during Leeds United’s dramatic defeat at the hands of Man City, says the former head of the PGMOL.
Leeds fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to level at the Etihad before Phil Foden’s stoppage-time second strike secured a win for the home side.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin‘s introduction turned the game around after the break given the first-half display was lacklustre at best.
Gnonto was one of the worst offenders after being restored to the Leeds line-up by under-fire boss Daniel Farke.
The Italian was withdrawn at half time but was lucky not to render the second period meaningless before it began as he somehow escaped without even a yellow from an incident involving Tijjani Reijnders early on.
Keith Hackett slams Gnonto kick out at Reijnders
Roughly a quarter of an hour in, with Leeds already a goal down in large part thanks to Gnonto allowing Matheus Nunes in behind him down the left to assist Foden, the Whites forward kicked out at Reijnders inside his own half.
He was already on the ground and appeared to catch the City midfielder high with his studs, only for referee Peter Bankes to give him a brief talking to and no intervention from the VAR.
Former PGMOL boss and ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett believes it was a clear sending off and the video assistant failed in not directing him to the on-pitch official to review the decision.
He exclusively told MOT Leeds News: “Gnonto should have seen red for this petulant and challenge.
“It was a kick out at his opponent, totally unnecessary and VAR should have sent the ref to the monitor.”
Farke reign on life support at Elland Road
If nothing else Farke can leave Leeds United knowing he still had a squad largely playing for him after the half-time turnaround at the Etihad.
At the interval it looked like a game sliding towards a miserable thrashing on the way to an inevitable sacking within the next couple of fixtures.
That Farke’s changes, so often a stick to beat him with, made such a difference to the second period, to the extent that City’s wild celebrations in the 92nd minute indicated their relief and Whites supporters actually had something to feel agonised about was impressive.
But the 3-2 scoreline ultimately made it four defeats in a row for Farke and his side, and without a concrete return against Chelsea and Liverpool the writing might already be on the wall.
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