OPINION
Leeds fans will be furious after the FA reached its decisions today after the fracas at Elland Road on Sunday. And rightfully so.
The game against Aston Villa descended into a brawl after Leeds scored with a Villa player down injured.
Patrick Bamford went down and Anwar El Ghazi was sent off, but replays showed he had done nothing.
Conor Hourihane was seen seemingly throwing a punch at Leeds midfielder Mateusz Kilch who stayed on his feet.
And the decisions from the FA are now in and it’s not pretty reading for Leeds fans.
The red card for El Ghazi has been rightfully rescinded. But the FA are not taking any further action over Hourihane and Bamford has been charged with deception of the referee. He will face a two-match ban.
Breaking – Patrick Bamford charged with ‘successful deception of a match official’ after Sunday's 1-1 draw between Leeds United and Aston Villa. Faces a two-game ban. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 30, 2019
Red card shown to Aston Villa's Anwar El Ghazi has been rescinded. No action against Conor Hourihane – punch at Klich wasn't seen by Attwell but was deemed by the FA "not to be violent conduct".
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 30, 2019
Leeds fans have long thought there’s an agenda against them and this will just serve to reinforce that to them.
We’ve got no complaints with the El Ghazi red, that was right to be rescinded.
But if Bamford is being charged with deception then Hourihane should be hit with action over his punch.
The video footage seemed pretty clear and yet the FA have deemed it didn’t amount to ‘violent conduct’. That seems to be a pretty poor decision that leaves Leeds as the only victims after an incident where, at least initially, according to the rules of the game, they did nothing wrong.
Aston Villa players reacted violently to the goal and none of them will suffer any consequences. Leeds will be without their main striker for the first leg of the play-off semi-finals. That doesn’t sit right with us.