Leeds United news: Danny Mills points finger at Illan Meslier ‘argument’ as controversial footage analysed
Danny Mills has accused referees of trying to “sanitise” football after Raul Jimenez was sent off in Wolves’ 3-2 loss to Leeds United on Friday night (18 March).
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Whites and England defender claimed he had an “issue” with Jimenez’s red card at Molineux.
The 30-year-old was shown a second yellow when he clashed with Illan Meslier as the pair challenged for a loose ball.
He will now serve a one-game ban and will miss Wolves’ next game – a Midlands derby against Aston Villa at Molineux (2 April).
“If I’m honest, I don’t think it’s a red card, Mills said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Sometimes referees referee by outcome not by the actual incident. The fact that Meslier is then injured and down for a while influences the referee’s decision.
“He’s going for the ball, does he go to make a challenge on Meslier? Yes, they come together and the argument will be, did you endanger a player? Well, every time you kick a foot towards a player, jump and head the ball there is always that argument.
“You can always find a law to justify a decision. The speed of it, it wasn’t intense, he didn’t fly into it and wipe him out completely.
“It was two players going for the ball, one got there beforehand, the argument is always who kicks who?
“Does Meslier kick Jimenez with his follow through? You’re never going to get that decision.
“It’s a little bit unnecessary from the referee. Jimenez is chasing a ball over the top, Meslier is trying to get there and there is a collision.
“Jimenez doesn’t leave his foot in and go in high, he doesn’t go studs in and catch him. That’s the issue I had.
“There are ones where you come in late and catch the player. It was Meslier’s follow-through that hit Jimenez as much as anything else.
“You start to think do you want to sanitise the sport completely? The referee’s given the red card and I was surprised by that.”
In other news, Kieran Maguire has issued a triple-your-money Andrea Radrizzani claim after a £100m Leeds United reveal.