Wilfried Gnonto gesture to referee spotted at half-time of Leeds United v Norwich

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto was spotted apologising to the referee at half-time of the Whites' 0-0 draw with Norwich City in their Championship play-off semi-final.

Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth saw Gnonto speaking to official Josh Smith at the interval, after a first half that saw the Leeds winger denied a penalty and shown a yellow card for dissent.

Gnonto thought he should have been awarded a spot-kick after being dragged down by Borja Sainz but saw his protests waved away and later received a yellow card for clapping the referee's decision to award a soft free-kick against him.

Posting on X just after the half-time whistle, Smyth described Gnonto's decision to go and apologise to the official as "smart".

Willy Gnonto frustrated with Leeds United decisions v Norwich

Leeds United saw several big refereeing calls go against them in the first half at Carrow Road, with Sainz's challenge on Gnonto certainly looking worthy of a penalty despite the initial contact beginning outside the box.

Gnonto was far from happy that the challenge, which saw Sainz drag the Italian to ground and not get a visible touch on the ball in the process.

After a breakaway Junior Firpo goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Georginio Rutter in the build-up, attention was soon back on Gnonto as Smith blew for a soft foul in first-half injury time.

The Whites winger could hardly believe that a free-kick had been given and sarcastically applauded in the referee's direction - Smith wasn't having any of that, and booked him immediately.

Therefore, Gnonto's apology makes sense, but after a first-half that saw several 50-50 calls go against Leeds, particularly in the Norwich box, the 20-year-old forward was well within his rights to be frustrated.

Leeds' travelling fans had little else to get frustrated with as chances dissipated further in the second half but, with hopefully a fired-up Gnonto ready to take the game to Norwich once more, Thursday's (16 May) second leg at Elland Road shapes up as a brilliant opportunity for the Peacocks to get to Wembley.

In other Leeds United news, a Whites player on a hefty contract is now leaving the club on a permanent basis.

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