Leeds United were deserved 1-0 winners at home to Spurs on Saturday afternoon, as Noah Okafor’s strike off the bench settled a scrappy affair.
Leeds needed some attacking inspiration coming into this final game before the November international break. Five matches without a win provided Daniel Farke with a lot to consider before today’s meeting with Spurs.
However, it was a gritty and determined performance from Leeds that ultimately earned a deserved victory.
Leeds United 1-0 Spurs: How Leeds earned deserved win over Roberto De Zerbi’s in-form side
After a fairly uninspiring first half dominated by two controversial refereeing decisions – which I’ll come onto – Leeds came out in the second half with renewed confidence and a much sharper display.
Melvin Bard’s introduction to replace the seemingly injured Gabriel Gudmundsson, clutching his hamstring at half-time, was an inspired change. The Frenchman added punch to the Leeds buildup, getting dangerous crosses off early and often.
Another pair of subs, though, were the difference. Harry Wilson and Noah Okafor came on later in the second half and combined for Leeds’ winner. Latching onto a Dominic Calvert-Lewin flick-on, Wilson flicked the ball into Okafor’s path, who drove into the box and emphatically fired beyond Antonin Kinsky for the winner.
Leeds then held on as Spurs threw cross after cross into the box. Jan Paul van Hecke thought he’d snatched an undeserved leveller with Spurs’ only real attempt on goal, only to be denied by an outrageous stop from James Trafford.
That result takes Leeds onto 14 points from 10 games. The mood has been thoroughly lifted ahead of November’s international break.
Spurs lodge official complaint over Jayden Bogle’s red card non-decision vs Leeds United
On to referee John Brooks…
It’s never a Premier League game without one or both sides furious with the refereeing on display. Mateus Fernandes dove to block a cross early on with what appeared to be his outstretched arm, but replays showed it likely hit his shoulder.
The real controversy was when Mathys Tel went down from a Jayden Bogle challenge. The Spurs man stepped across Bogle and Leeds’ right-back trod down the back of the Frenchman’s achilles, leaving Tel stricken on the deck.
A VAR check for ‘possible serious foul play’ dragged on for what felt like eons in the stands before being cleared. It meant not only did Bogle avoid a red, but he also didn’t even get booked for the challenge. Tel tried to continue before going to ground again and being forced to withdraw.
Now, the BBC’s Sami Mokbel has reported Spurs’ intention to make an official complaint to Pro Ref over the incident.
Spurs are seeking an explanation for why Bogle escaped a red card for serious foul play, scraping Tel’s ankles with his challenge.
Despite this controversy dominating Spurs’ sour reaction to defeat, De Zerbi was under no illusions that United were the deserved winners.
“We deserved to lose the game in the second half and didn’t play like we can,” the Italian said to TNT Sports. “It’s a journey for us because we can learn from this game.
“I am sorry for the performance in the second half – we didn’t play like a top team. We didn’t have the right character and physicality in the second half.”
Leeds United earned victory – Red card controversy shouldn’t detract from the facts vs Spurs
Leeds were clearly the better team across 90 minutes. No amount of complaining, something Spurs have previous for, will change the facts.
The more I look at the foul, the more I do find it hard to fathom how Brooks didn’t even book Bogle, let alone be sent to the monitor by VAR. It’s a red card, and I don’t know how he’s got away with it.
I do understand their desire to complain, but what good is that?
Will the PGMOL or Pro Ref explaining their rationale do anything? No.
Will it add three points to Spurs’ tally? No.
Does it change the fact they created absolutely nothing and deserved to lose, based on their performance? No.
It threatens to overshadow the fact that Leeds earned victory with a very, very good second-half performance. If everyone spent their time wanting explanations for every bad refereeing decision, no one would get anything done.
Good fight, and much better.