By George Overhill

21st Sep, 2022 | 7:40pm

Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga shocked in live reaction to Leeds United ban news

Anthony Elanga reacted live during an interview to the news that Leeds United have banned a fan who assaulted him by throwing something from the stands.

The Manchester Evening News report that following the incident during the game at Elland Road last season (20 February) where the Manchester United winger scored a late goal and was hit by an object, the Whites have handed out a “lifetime ban” following a court-imposed fine and five-year banning order.

Sweden international Elanga, 20, was in the middle of an interview with Fotboll Skanalen while on international duty when he heard the news.

“Is it true!? Wow. I did not know that. But it is good. Now no other fans will do what he did. It is good. The most important thing is that the police have handled this well,” he reacted.

Rodrigo and Raphinha struck twice in two minutes to level the match in a dramatic meeting earlier this year, before two late goals from the visitors condemned the Whites to a 4-2 defeat in the final knockings of the Marcelo Bielsa reign.

Elanga’s fourth in the 88th minute saw him struck on the head by an object thrown from the crowd in one of a series of unsavoury incidents involving supporters across European football in a short period.

Action

There is simply no excuse to throw missiles at players so it is encouraging that in this instance the perpetrator was identified and punished both in the courts and subsequently by the club.

Flashpoints on the pitch provide drama which makes football entertaining, but as soon as the barrier between players and supporters is breached in a hostile way nothing good ever comes of it.

Major rivals or not, it is right that this has been dealt with firmly and we have to hope that Elanga is right in that it will prevent others from doing it in future.

The next meeting between the two sides was due to take place last weekend (Sunday 18 September), but the trip to Old Trafford was postponed in light of policing issues due to the Queen’s funeral the day after.

Despite a downturn in results recently the Whites side that would have made the trip to Manchester is very different to the one that fought valiantly but came up short in February.

Bielsa emotionally departed not long after and after a summer recruitment drive this is very much now Jesse Marsch’s team.

Whenever that fixture is rescheduled both sides will hope there is no repeat of what happened at Elland Road and the authorities are not required to be involved.

In other Leeds United news, three key men can expect new contracts in the near future according to Phil Hay.