(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Sun 1 March 2026 9:00, UK

Follow us on Google Discover

Leeds United fans have been left seething with referee Peter Bankes after their team were beaten 1-0 at home by Manchester City on Saturday.

The resurgent Whites put in a competitive display against Pep Guardiola’s side under the lights at Elland Road, but they were ultimately beaten by Antoine Semenyo’s strike on the stroke of half-time, which came at the end of a free-flowing move from the visitors.

Leeds remain six points clear of the relegation zone despite their defeat, but they have now won just one of their last five games in the Premier League.

Their fans were left feeling aggrieved that their team didn’t leave with something to show for their efforts, and they have also shown plenty of frustration towards the officiating team.

Leeds fans seething after Rayan Cherki stamp on Ilia Gruev

Rayan Cherki played a key role in City’s victory in West Yorkshire to close the gap to Arsenal at the top of the table, but Leeds fans feel that he was lucky to escape a sending off.

The Frenchman was in the spotlight for a challenge just 11 minutes into the second half, when he kicked the ball from between the legs of Ilia Gruev, who was sitting on the floor, before appearing to stretch his leg back and stamp on the Leeds midfielder.

The City star received a talking-to from on-field referee Bankes, while the VAR team also showed no interest in taking the incident any further.

It is a decision that has left the Leeds fans incensed in the aftermath of the game, and they have taken to X to make their feelings clear on the incident.

One member of the Whites faithful labelled Cherki’s actions as “absolutely disgraceful,” while it was also suggested that it was clearly intentional from the City star because his first instinct was not to apologise to Gruev.

Another Leeds supporter suggested that it was a “clear and obvious stamp” from Cherki, while another fan also added that it was “unbelievable” that the incident had been overlooked by the officials.

• @delidamo: “How does VAR not look at this.”
• @Robertkas88: “Imagine if a Leeds player did it. It would be a red card.”
• @SusanPepper1512: “Disgraceful.”

• Read More: Leeds United vs Man City ref watch: Three decisions Peter Bankes got horribly wrong

Two more major Peter Bankes errors in Leeds vs Man City

Bankes endured a difficult evening in charge as tempers flared on several occasions during Saturday’s clash, and his display was certainly not without its errors.

Cherki can undoubtedly count himself lucky to have stayed on the pitch for his stamp on Gruev, but the Leeds man was also not an innocent bystander in the game.

Gruev barrelled into Rodri on the edge of his own box in the 18th minute, and it was a tackle that sparked frustration from the City players, leading to some shoves being exchanged.

Bankes allowed both players to escape with little more than a telling off for the incident, but Gruev could easily have found himself going into the book on another day.

The man in the middle also did little to punish Guardiola, despite the Spaniard regularly overstepping the boundaries of his technical area as the hosts turned up the heat on their visitors late on.