Leeds United: Lee Hendrie reacts to controversial Georginio Rutter moment v Millwall live on Sky
Lee Hendrie thinks it would have been “harsh” to award a penalty against Millwall’s Billy Mitchell despite the protestations of Leeds United forward Georginio Rutter.
The incident happened during the first half of Sunday’s (17 March) encounter at Elland Road when Rutter’s edge-of-the-box shot appeared to hit the arm of the visiting midfielder.
Reacting live to the incident as a co-commentator for Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, prominent pundit Hendrie thinks it was a shout that was right to fall on deaf ears.
“They wanted a penalty, didn’t they? Brilliant play again Summerville, Rutter’s just appealing for that,” Henrie began.
“I don’t think it is, it’s just a turn of the back it would have been a harsh one if it was given but, he can’t see a single thing, yes his back’s away from goal, his arm’s high and wide (but it’s not a penalty).”
Leeds went on to win the game 2-0 to go top of the Championship, level on points with Leicester City.
Leeds United ace Georginio Rutter denied penalty v Millwall
There were plenty of flashpoints in a blood and thunder fixture between two teams who really do not like one another at Elland Road and Leeds will feel aggrieved about several decisions on the day.
But this really wasn’t one where they could feel too aggrieved if truth be told. The ball probably did strike the arm of Mitchell, but he was charging out to stop the shot, and knew next to nothing about it.
In fairness, there were not too many overzealous appeals from the Leeds players, with Rutter probably the only one who was pleading any sort of case for a spot kick to be awarded but there was nothing doing.
Not long after Leeds did have the lead anyway when Wilfried Gnonto left fly with a superb left-foot effort from 25 yards that brought Elland Road to its feet in appreciation of an absolutely wonderful moment in front of a raucous crowd.
In other Leeds United news, Kalvin Phillips could make a ‘sensational’ Elland Road return.
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