Here are the Leeds United morning headlines on Monday December 28th.
Ex-ref boss criticises Burnley decisions
Referee Robert Jones' performance in Leeds United's 1-0 win over Burnley has been under the microscope after two key decisions went the way of Marcelo Bielsa's side on Sunday afternoon.
The decision to award Patrick Bamford's early penalty was followed by an incident where Ben Mee was adjudged to have fouled Leeds stopper Illan Meslier in the penalty area before Ashley Barnes put the ball in the back of the net were both met with criticism by Clarets boss Sean Dyche, fans and pundits alike.
Now Keith Hackett, former FIFA referee and ex-head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board has questioned Jones' performance, asking the question as to whether he was able to keep up with Leeds United's fast style of play.
"Referee Robert Jones was guilty of two major errors in his handling of Burnley's "equaliser" against Leeds United," Hackett writes in The Daily Telegraph.
"This was a worrying performance. Yes, Jones is new to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited - this was only his fourth game in the Premier League, and third this season - but he has had several years of experience at Football League level, and should not be making an error such as this.
"Jones needs some operational advice: his movement is pedestrian and at no time did he apply any dynamic sprinting to get into good viewing positions and angles.
"There were occasions when he lost contact with the game and in this particular instance, this shortfall in pace exposed him to the error of blowing too quickly.
"Referees have to be able to keep pace with the match. Everyone knows Leeds, in particular, play a fast brand of football where the ball travels quickly from one end of the pitch to another. Jones did not seem to be able to keep up, which is a failure not only of his officiating, but of the appointment process."
Dyche's reaction
Hackett's comments come after Sean Dyche gave a frank assessment of Jones' performance at Elland Road.
"When you do speak to referees, and it is difficult I understand that, they've just finished, it's an emotional game for them as well in any game because of the physical side of the game," he said.
"It's only the strange thing when they use that 'in your opinion thing' and you remind them they you've just seen it 15 times.
"But they were perfectly civil, as was I, but I am incredibly frustrated today as you can imagine.
"I think Popey has got the ball, you can tell be the trajectory of the ball, where it goes. He's got the ball. So I am amazed but not amazed, because I know at the very top of the game they want more penalties. There's a directive there. I understand that. Ironically we've only had one every 24 games on average which is bizarre in itself.
"And then onto the Ben Mee one. I've spoken endlessly about the game and where it's going physically and I've not clue how at minimal how the referee doesn't give himself five or six seconds, Barnsey whacks it in the goal and it's a goal because he thinks actually, the keepers' miles out the goal, Ben Mee does nothing other than clearly attempt to win a header. He doesn't even look at the man. The keeper comes over the back, knees him in the back, drops the ball and somehow it is a free kick. It is an impossibility.
"I think that is where VAR has to step in and over-rule the referee."
Bielsa on quick turnaround
Leeds United do not have long to dwell on Sunday's win, as they face a Tuesday evening trip to The Hawthorns to face a West Brom side that left Anfield with a point last night.
Marcelo Bielsa has outlined the challenges that his side face by a second match in just over 24 hours here.
“There's procedures to facilitate and to speed up the recovery of the players all the teams use,” he said following the win over Burnley.
“[They are] linked to hydrotherapy and kinesiology, nutrition and the rest.”
Leeds moved up to 12th place in the Premier League table following the win over Burnley.
