Journalist Beren Cross has claimed Leeds United defender Luke Ayling was very lucky to not get booked in the club’s most recent game.
In their last Premier League outing, the Whites drew 0-0 at Selhurst Park in a heated match against Crystal Palace. The Guardian’s match report said of the game: “If avoiding relegation is about rolling your sleeves up and fighting for everything then, on this evidence, Leeds should just about make it.”
In the end, despite the evidently confrontational nature of the match, both teams ended up with only two yellow cards each. However, while talking on a Leeds United Live Facebook video, Cross suggested one Leeds player should have been added to that bunch.
Indeed, he claimed that Palace winger Wilfried Zaha caused Ayling so much trouble, it was ‘miraculous’ the right-back wasn’t booked, especially in front of a boisterous home crowd.
Was Luke Ayling lucky to not get booked against Crystal Palace?
Yes
No
Cross said: “Ayling was getting done persistently by Wilfried Zaha, but most right-backs are dealt with by Zaha.
“Miraculous that Ayling came way without a yellow card. Regardless of what you feel about Zaha and the way he plays, when you look at the pressure the referee was under from a very, very vociferous home crowd, I can’t believe that Ayling got away without a yellow.”
TIF Thoughts on Luke Ayling and Leeds…
Cross certainly has a point as Ayling gave away three fouls in the game and was dribbled past on a further four occasions (via FotMob).
However, it does seem that the referee was fairly lenient during the game. For instance, Dan James only picked up a yellow despite a very rash challenge on Joel Ward during the game.
In the end, Ayling and Leeds will probably be content enough to have picked up a draw. The result means the Whites have a five-point lead on the bottom three with just five games left to play. The point could be crucial in keeping them up at the end of the season.
In other news: Days are numbered: Leeds ‘liability’ could now be in trouble as Orta plans talks – opinion