Pennant makes ‘shocking’ admission after what he saw in Middlesbrough v Leeds
Leeds United moved back to the top of the Championship after a dramatic victory against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.
The Yorkshire giants travelled to the Riverside for their latest match in a game that was jam-packed with controversial moments.
Daniel Farke’s side got off to an electric start when Dan James scored in the second minute, and ultimately that’s all that was needed as they hung on to the 1-0 lead to give their promotion hopes a boost.
However, the match could have been far more comfortable for the Whites had it not been for some poor officiating on the night, as they had two goals ruled out for offside which were clearly not.
Patrick Bamford and Ao Tanaka had the ball in the back of the net over the course of the game, which should have been perfectly legal goals on reflection, yet they were both denied for offside.
Jermain Pennant couldn’t believe what he witnessed
Leeds ultimately didn’t need either of those goals to secure all three points, but it made for a far tenser game against Middlesbrough than it needed to be, much to the frustration of the supporters and players.
The extra goal difference would also have been beneficial to them, given how tight it is at the top of the table between them, Sheffield United, and Burnley right now.
Supporters were left fuming with the quality of the officiating that was on display, and they weren’t the only people left flabbergasted by events at the Riverside.
| Team | Position | Goal Difference | Points |
| Leeds United | 1 | 52 | 85 |
| Burnley | 2 | 43 | 85 |
| Sheffield United | 3 | 25 | 83 |
Speaking on talkSPORT (8 April, 11:20pm), Jermaine Pennant said: “I’ll go out there and say the officiating is absolutely shocking.
“I don’t know what kind of courses they need to do to get better, and maybe understand football a little bit more, and I’m all for VAR as well – it gets more right than wrong.”
Leeds United could take this situation further
The Whites will likely look to push the situation further after the dust has settled in regard to the officiating on the night in a bid to find out more answers.
Supporters want to see the officials held up and be made accountable, and after such a poor performance in a high-profile game, it will be hard for Howard Webb to ignore the complaints.
However, while the Whites look to ask questions of the officials away from the pitch, their focus will ultimately be on the next game.
Leeds return to Elland Road on Saturday (12 April) looking to build some momentum toward the end of the season as they host Preston North End as their quest for promotion pushes on.