Leeds United vs Arsenal ref watch: Three decisions Stuart Attwell got wrong
Stuart Attwell was the man in charge as Leeds United and Arsenal clashed in an interesting Premier League battle at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke‘s side were instantly handed a boost, as Bukayo Saka pulled out of the warm-ups through injury, but the Whites still couldn’t overcome the talent in the visitors’ squad.
His replacement, Noni Madueke, was key to the 4-0 win, with the Arsenal man forcing Karl Darlow into a howler for their second, but it all could have been very different had the referee been more on point.
Attwell was not afraid of getting his cards out in West Yorkshire, but there were certainly some missed contentious moments between the two sides.
Viktor Gyokeres argues with Stuart Attwell over early decision
Just 18 minutes into the game, Attwell already had a decision to make, and many will believe that he made the wrong one when Pascal Struijk went crunching into a challenge on Viktor Gyokeres.
Even with replays, it appeared to be a perfectly-timed tackle, despite the Gunners’ forward left hurt on the floor, and his feelings were made clear when arguing that the defender should have been booked.
It is becoming far too common for players to tell referees how to officiate the game, and the only way to combat that is to caution them. No nonsense.
Ethan Ampadu barged over in the build-up to Arsenal’s opener
With the Whites sat back, it took Arteta’s men just 27 minutes to find the opener, as Martin Zubimendi beat everyone to Madueke’s cross back into the penalty area.
However, replays showed a clear push on Ethan Ampadu, who had only just got back to his feet when Saka’s replacement swung the ball into a dangerous area, but there was no VAR check, either.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin somehow escapes sanction
In the 35th minute, Arsenal fans were calling for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to be sent off following a reckless studs-up challenge on Gabriel Magalhaes, but Attwell was fine with just a foul.
It was a yellow card at the very least, and with contact being made on the shin, it would not have been a surprise to see VAR intervene for a potential red card. However, there was complete silence.
The Leeds striker certainly didn’t show any intent on catching his opponent so high, but had the referee seen it properly, he might have been taking an early shower at Elland Road.