By Sam Stone

24th Nov, 2022 | 8:40am

Curtis Woodhouse uses Leeds United starlet Charlie Cresswell to slam 'pathetic' Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand

Curtis Woodhouse has used Charlie Cresswell to slam Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand after the Leeds United loanee suffered a kick to the face against Hull City earlier this month.

The 20-year-old clashed with Oscar Estupinan and suffered a black eye and cut on his forehead, but still played the full 90 minutes for Millwall in their Championship fixture.

Beiranvand was substituted in the first half of Iran’s 6-2 defeat to England after colliding with one of his teammates and Woodhouse felt the goalkeeper should have played on.

He wrote (via Twitter, 22 November): “Imagine crying off with a bloody nose in the World Cup!!!! Pathetic! Top boy Charlie, it’s still ok to be a man in this fragile world we now live in.”

Poor take

This is a ridiculous take from Woodhouse. Everyone who watched the game on Monday (21 November) could see the Iran goalkeeper was in no fit state to carry on after the incident. Just because he didn’t have stitches and a black eye doesn’t mean he wasn’t concussed. He may well have looked okay, but he was anything but.

Concussions have been a hot topic in recent weeks with medical teams being instructed to take potential head injuries more seriously. Head injuries should automatically mean a player should leave the field of play. We see far too often players remaining on the pitch when they’re clearly not able to do so. Furthermore, we also see players hold their heads to cause an immediate stoppage.

Ensuring they have to go off could curtail potential gamesmanship and time-wasting. As for Cresswell, he was fortunate not to suffer any longer-term damage to his eye. If Estupinan’s foot had been slightly lower, there’s a chance he could have caused significant issues for the 20-year-old.

In other Leeds United news, Marsch’s could be sacked once the 49ers take control of the club.