Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist have criticized Leeds United fans for their reaction to Illan Meslier’s costly error against Sunderland. The goalkeeper allowed a bouncing ball to slip past him, leading to a goal. McCoist and Stelling agreed that Meslier needed support and comforting after the mistake.
Junior Firpo, who thought he had scored the winning goal before it was cancelled out in a 2-2 draw, was also criticized for not consoling Meslier at the end of the match. Stelling defended Meslier, much to the dismay of Leeds fans who disagreed with him. McCoist questioned Stelling’s defense of the goalkeeper, but ultimately agreed with him.
Stelling emphasized the importance of Leeds fans supporting Meslier and Firpo, despite their errors. Meslier has been the team’s number one goalkeeper since early 2020, with only a brief benching during the club’s relegation in 2023. Some fans may be calling for Meslier to be replaced by Karl Darlow, but manager Daniel Farke is likely to give Meslier another chance to prove himself.
The spotlight will be on Meslier as Leeds faces Sheffield United in their next Championship match on 18 October. It is up to Meslier to show that he can bounce back and regain the trust of the Leeds United fanbase.
