Sheffield United v Leeds United: BBC pundit reacts to ‘Mess’ as footage emerges
Leeds United secured a comeback 3-1 victory against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday night.
The Blades broke the deadlock in the 14th minute courtesy of an Illan Meslier own goal.
Daniel Farke’s side failed to deal with the attack from the hosts and rather than getting the ball to safety, they struggled to get it under control, leading to a glaring error in defence.
However, the Whites came back strong in the second period of the game to score thrice without any reply to go five points clear at the top.
BBC pundit tears into the Leeds United defence
Jon Newsome criticised Joe Rodon for not getting his body shape right which saw Meslier having to do too much to keep the ball out.
That said, the header from Tyrese Campbell was not going on target and any decent keeper either palms the ball or fists it away to safety.
However, Meslier happened to make a mess of it and for some reason, handled the ball into the back of his own net.
Newsome told BBC Radio Leeds on 24 February at 8:17pm: “It’s a real mess, Rodon doesn’t get his body shape right. It looks like it’s an own goal by Meslier.
“I think they’ve deserved it, they’ve taken the game to Leeds.”
Premier League dreams can slip away because of Illan Meslier
Meslier’s inconsistent goalkeeping could indeed be the decisive factor if Leeds fail to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
Despite his 20 clean sheets, his recurring errors have directly cost the Whites crucial points, undermining their otherwise strong campaign.
Notable blunders, such as the stoppage-time fumble against Sunderland that gifted a 2-2 draw, the mishandled header in the 3-3 draw at Hull City, and earlier mistakes like the Preston equaliser, highlight a pattern of unreliability.
| Stats (Championship this season) | Illan Meslier |
| Apperances | 33 |
| Goals conceded | 20 |
| Appearances | 20 |
| Goals prevented | -0.15 |
These incidents have squandered leads and turned potential victories into draws, eroding Leeds’ buffer at the top.
With Leeds’ squad boasting quality elsewhere, his lapses stand out as the weak link, especially in a tight promotion race where every point matters.
Farke’s unwavering support may preserve the Frenchman’s confidence, but it doesn’t erase the impact of his mistakes.
If Leeds miss out on the top two by a slim margin, fans and analysts will likely point to Meslier’s poor performances as the primary reason.