{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Simon Jordan hits out over 'media narrative' around Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk
Simon Jordan has issued a thinly-veiled dig at those who apportioned Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk with blame for Harvey Elliott’s injury.
The Liverpool teenager suffered a potentially serious injury in Liverpool’s 3-0 win at Elland Road on Sunday, with Struijk dismissed for his challenge that led to Elliott’s withdrawal.
The 18-year-old has since taken to social media to take any heat away from the Whites defender, and speaking via talkSPORT [14/09/21] on Tuesday, ex-Crystal Palace chairman Jordan has praised Elliott’s intervention amid the media frenzy.
“It tells us that he’s a young man of substance,” Jordan said on the ‘White & Jordan’ show. “I am aware of him, his agent is someone I know quite well.
“To come out and nip the furore in the bud, to know a professional player didn’t do it on purpose and, not to so much absolve him of the responsibility, but to give some feedback that was building up against a media narrative in certain segments about what this challenge looks like, I just think it’s a good story from a very decent young man that will probably go on to be a substantial footballer.”
Unfortunate incident
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
The general consensus has been that the injury sustained by Elliott was through no fault of Struijk.
The likes of Gary Lineker and Gary Neville have voiced their support for the 22-year-old, that it didn’t appear to be a red card challenge, but as ever, there have been a few dissenting voices.
However, Elliott himself has come out to offer his verdict, and he claimed it was not deserving of a red card either.
It looks like that is the view of Leeds United as well, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay writing via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that the club have lodged an appeal to the FA against Struijk’s three-game ban for his red card.
Leeds will be hoping their appeal is successful with a trip to Newcastle United coming up on Friday, and Diego Llorente’s participation in that fixture looks to be uncertain after he hobbled off against Liverpool on Sunday.
In other Leeds United news, Paul Robinson predicts this Whites player is set for a season on the sidelines after an Elland Road development.