Some Leeds United fans are fearing the worst after the Premier League announced that Stuart Attwell will referee the game against Arsenal on Sunday.
Leeds have history with Attwell. He was the man in charge of that game against Aston Villa at the end of the 18/19 Championship season, which ended 1-1 but went down in history after Marcelo Bielsa ordered his side to let Villa score.
That came after a fracas after Leeds scored with an Aston Villa player down.
Bielsa wasn’t happy with a lot of what Attwell did that day, with Phil Hay tweeting, “Bielsa v Attwell is becoming the contest of the day.”
Bielsa v Attwell is becoming the contest of the day. Some serious finger-wagging from Bielsa. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 28, 2019
Attwell booked four Leeds players that day and sent off Anwar El Ghazi after Patrick Bamford’s play-acting.
He hasn’t reffed us since.
Attwell was also the man in charge of the Sutton FA Cup game when Leeds crashed out in a humiliating 1-0 defeat.
He sent Liam Cooper off late on in that game after two yellow cards.
Attwell is one of the more card-happy refs out there. He awarded an incredible nine cards in the Fulham v Villa game at the start of the season and seven in the recent clash between Everton and Newcastle.
He might have to watch Nicolas Pepe and Gjanni Alioski after the two players were involved in a spat in the reverse fixture, with the Arsenal player seeing red for a head-butt.
Alioski has already started stirring the pot saying he can’t wait to “play against my mate Pepe again”.
Here are the best reactions from Leeds fans to the news from the Premier League…
He booked 4 Leeds players that day along with, Bielsa. And sent Ghazi off after Bamford’s rather embarrassing play acting. He’s usually very card and whistle happy, so we need to be on best behaviour, especially Cooper who he seems to book more than most. #lufc
— Jo Bedford 🐾 (@El_Loco_Jo) February 9, 2021
Great stats, tempted to go with over 4 cards in the game looking at his past record for both clubs 👍👍
— Bielsa’s Cheese Wedge Ultras 🧀 🏆 (@Allcheese1) February 9, 2021
He was awful for that entire game
— Sledging King (@AdamPaulBarlow) February 9, 2021
This Villa game, remember it well. The one during which I had my heart attack. Supporting this club is bad for my health!!🤣🤣
But I’m Leeds, that’s all!
— 💙Colin🏆Dutton💛 (@ColinDutton6) February 9, 2021
Yikes ! I forgot who his allegiances lie with…his claim to fame was the “ghost goal” he awarded to Reading against an unmentionable team down the M1 back in 2008, now I remember why 🤣…hope he behaves himself on Sunday !!!!
— Zar Nicholson 🧡💙💛 (@ZarBeck26) February 9, 2021
Oh no….. There I was thinking the standard of refereeing was a bit better in the sense they let the game flow more.
— Follow Me And LUFC (@FollowMeAndLUFC) February 9, 2021
Now now, we’re always saying we want consistency, and you can’t deny he’s consistently not that good 😁
— Jo Bedford 🐾 (@El_Loco_Jo) February 9, 2021
In other Leeds United news, ‘Sounds like’: Phil Hay delivers injury update, names Leeds 21yo likely to replace ace v Arsenal
