Farke reacts to Tanaka controversy after Leeds United v Norwich incident
Daniel Farke has leapt to the defence of Ao Tanaka after shouts for the Leeds United ace to be sent off against Norwich City on Wednesday night.
Tanaka was booked in the seventh minute of the 2-0 win over Farke’s former club at Elland Road (22 January), and in the second half potentially escaped a dismissal after a tangling with Kenny McLean, for which the referee decided not to show another yellow card after playing an advantage.
Norwich were incensed by the decision and former referee Keith Hackett (22 January) is among those of the belief that Tanaka should have seen red, but the Japan midfielder’s manager has staunchly backed him, calling him Western Europe’s “fairest player”.
As quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post (23 January), Farke exclaimed: “It was never a situation where Ao should be sent off, not in the sense of the game.
“Either a brutal foul – there was not one – or a tactical foul that avoids a big counter chance – it was neither.
“He’s probably the fairest player in all of Western Europe and was there with exactly two fouls. Does he deserve to be sent off with two fouls? I don’t think so.”
Leeds United escape Tanaka red card and return top
Leeds United fans and players alike collectively gasped when Tanaka tripped McLean as Norwich broke forward on Wednesday, but sometimes decisions go for a team.
The swings-and-roundabouts nature of football officiating brings with it weekly and daily controversy, but Leeds managed to get the job done against a Norwich side desperately missing the Championship’s leading scorer Borja Sainz.
None of Farke’s strikers were able to add to their respective tallies for the campaign at Elland Road, but Dan James and Manor Solomon once again starred, the latter with his second early opening goal in three days.
Tanaka has been a revelation since signing from Fortuna Dusseldorf in the summer, as Leeds muscled ahead of global interest in the central midfielder, seemingly eyed by Premier League clubs.
The Whites will have to earn promotion no later than this season to keep hold of him, one would consider, and he is providing a major selection headache for Farke with his options in the middle of the park.
In other Leeds news, Andy Hinchcliffe makes an important admission on Wilfried Gnonto at Elland Road.
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