{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Ally McCoist: Crystal Palace victims of major Pascal Struijk injustice during 1-0 defeat at Leeds United
Ally McCoist was shocked Crystal Palace were not awarded a penalty in their 1-0 defeat to Leeds United on Tuesday night.
There were huge appeals from the away side at Elland Road when Jordan Ayew went down under the challenge from makeshift Leeds left-back Pascal Struijk during the first half last night (30 November).
Referee Kevin Friend waved away Palace shouts for a spot-kick, though, and VAR did not intervene.
McCoist was adamant it was a penalty during live commentary of the clash for Amazon Prime Video, and he doubled down on his claim post-match.
McCoist: “I certainly did [think it was a penalty]. Just to confirm, did I hear Michael Owen say at half-time he didn’t think it was a penalty?”
Owen replied: “I’d never dive like that Ally!”
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
McCoist: “I’d have loved to see that particular instance of a foul on Michael, that’s for sure! I just felt the two hands went on him and I thought it was a push.
“I would be absolutely devastated if I didn’t get it if I was Jordan Ayew. Both hands, push there, for me. It’s a penalty all day, it really is.”
Lucky Leeds?
McCoist seems to think Leeds may have got away with one against Palace, suggesting it was a penalty all day long for Struijk’s challenge on Ayew.
He may have a point; it looked clumsy from the 22-year-old Dutchman on second viewing, and Ayew was probably right to feel aggrieved.
But was it enough for the VAR to intervene?
It wasn’t the most blatant of fouls to the naked eye and perhaps it didn’t quite pass the threshold of being a ‘clear and obvious’ mistake on part of the referee.
Thus, the decision could not be reversed.
The Whites were probably due a bit of luck anyway after some of their own penalty appeals were waved away over the last month or so.
As it was, Marcelo Bielsa’s side went on to win the game through a penalty of their own as Raphinha cooly dispatched from 12 yards.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are plotting a January move for this La Liga centre-forward as Marcelo Bielsa ‘Demands’ signing.