Elland Road chants overheard after what Dean Whitestone did in Leeds v Millwall
Leeds United and Millwall played out a cagey encounter at Elland Road on Wednesday as Daniel Farke’s side returned to winning ways.
Leeds returned to the top of the Championship table with a 2-0 victory over their rivals in LS11, scoring right at the start of the first half and then towards the back end of the second through Ao Tanaka.
Jake Cooper’s own goal gave the Whites an early lead following good work down the left from Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka, but prior to Tanaka’s late clincher, the game descended into a familiar pattern.
Farke’s side generated chance after chance to no avail throughout large periods of both the first and second halves, but Millwall were able to keep them at bay, trying some of the dark arts on occasion.
Graham Smyth overhears four-word Leeds United chants
Referees coming to Elland Road are rarely ever in for a stress-free afternoon or evening, especially when Millwall are Leeds United’s opponents, and Dean Whitestone found out the hard way on Wednesday.
| Leeds United | Statistic | Millwall |
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 0.83 | xG | 0.20 |
| 2 / 18 | Shots on Target | 0 / 4 |
| 61% | Possession | 39% |
| 4 | Corners | 3 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
After Daniel James being “scragged” down by a Millwall defender didn’t result in a yellow card, Yorkshire Evening Post Journalist Graham Smyth shared what he’d heard the United faithful singing at the official.
Across two X posts (12 March), Smyth said: “James scragged to the ground. Dean Whitestone must have a crocodile in his card pocket because he is adamant not to put his hand in there tonight.
“Aaronson got away with one a couple of minutes ago too – ‘He’s got no cards’, sings Elland Road.”
Leeds United back on top after brief Championship blip
While no crocodiles were spotted anywhere at Elland Road, it was Leeds who bit back from their worst spell of the season to recover and climb back on top of the pile in the Premier League promotion race.
West Brom holding the Whites to a draw and Portsmouth beating them at Fratton Park had given Sheffield United the chance to reclaim their place at the summit, but that’s proven to be short-lived.
A deserved and dominant 2-0 victory over the Lions gives United a two-point cushion at the top and a four-point lead over third-placed Burnley, getting back to winning ways in the best possible fashion.
Championship refereeing has long since been a discussion point for Leeds managers, players and fans, but if they can use Wednesday’s result as a springboard, United may only have nine games left of it.