Good evening, Leeds United fans. Here are your evening headlines for Monday, November 9.
Former Premier League referee gives verdict on Bamford VAR decision
Dermot Gallagher has refused to defend the VAR decision that saw Patrick Bamford’s goal ruled out in the 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Leeds United striker was adjudged to be marginally offside while pointing to where he wanted the ball played, and many were angered by the call. Now former top-flight Gallagher has given his view on the incident.
“I’m not going to defend it, I’m not going to back it,” he said on Sky Sports. “On the day, with what VAR had at its disposal that’s where they drew the line.
“I can’t justify it. I don’t know where (Mamadou) Sakho is. I’m not a technician. I’ve been quite open, I think it’s a really tough call. Not many people are happy about it.
“The images that were relayed to the VAR were the best they had at the time. He [Mike Dean] made the decision. I’m not backing it, I’m not decrying it. I have to live with it, I might not like it.”
Neville calls for law change after Bamford’s disallowed goal
Gary Neville has called for a change to the offside law after Bamford’s goal was ruled out in the first half of Saturday’s defeat against Crystal Palace.
The Leeds forward was denied after a VAR check reached the conclusion that his armpit was in an offside position.
Following the game, Neville called on the lawmakers to “get rid” of such strict laws.
“Yesterday the Bamford offside where they're drawing the line down the arm, we don't want to see it," he told the Gary Neville podcast.
"Fans don't want to see, players don't want to see it, coaches don't want to see it, commentators don't want to see it.
“Let's get rid of it, the game doesn't want to see it. What I would say about offside, the line will have to come down somewhere if we want VAR to decide offside, it will come somewhere but that point shouldn't be arbitrary on someone's arm, it needs to be a definite point.
“It's the furthest foot forward, I think the feet is the most consistent part of the body where you say, 'right, the foot that's nearest towards goal, that's where the line goes and we go with it'. Then we get consistency.
“It's that point of the body that we accept, the line has to come somewhere and it has to be consistent. Whatever it would be, I think it's the feet, but I think we'd accept that. I think it's the arm thing, the Bamford decision was a nonsense.”
Leeds injury update and potential return dates
It shouldn't be overlooked that in recent weeks Marcelo Bielsa has been without several key Leeds players, none more so than Kalvin Phillips.
But the international break will be a good opportunity for those ruled out to either inch closer to a first-team return or ease their way back into training, as discussed in greater detail here.
Phillips' return date remains a point of intrigue. He suffered a shoulder injury in the defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on October 19 and was initially ruled out for six weeks.
However, Bielsa refuted that timeframe ahead of the victory over Aston Villa.
He said: “I didn’t have the definitive amount of time Phillips was going to be out for. I understand the information is incorrect.
“It’s not defined how long he will be out for. It could be more or it could be less.”
