Ian Harte has taken to Twitter to express his displeasure at Aston Villa players not getting punished for their part in incidents during the Championship game against Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday.
The Whites legend believes that Villa players were let off by the referee, and has suggested that they should have been punished.
It’s a disgrace that Villa players get away with what they did ? But Leeds United get done every time…. As a ex footballer you DONT stop until the referee says!!! https://t.co/JkKP3HwSrV
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) April 30, 2019
What happened during the Championship game between Leeds and Villa at Elland Road was both very interesting and controversial.
In the 72nd minute of the encounter, Poland international midfielder Mateusz Klich scored for the home side as injured Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia lay on the ground inside the home team’s half.
Tyler Roberts, who provided the pass to Klich to score, appeared to be about to sportingly kick the ball out for a throw-in so the Villa man could receive treatment, but the 20-year-old Wales international instead launched an attack down the left wing.
The goal infuriated the Villa players, and 28-year-old midfielder Conor Hourihane grabbed Klich immediately after his goal.
Anwar El Ghazi was dismissed for allegedly elbowing Leeds forward Patrick Bamford in the melee that followed, but television cameras showed that it was simulation on the part of the former Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough man.
The FA have rescinded the red card dished out to El Ghazi, while Bamford has been charged with “successful deception of a match official”, as BBC Sport has reported.
If found guilty and if Bamford accepts the charge, then he will be suspended for two matches, meaning that the 25-year-old will not feature for Leeds in their final game of the ‘regular’ season and the first leg of the Championship semi-final playoff.
Leeds will face Derby County, Middlesbrough or Bristol City for a place in the Championship playoff final this season.
