Leeds United’s 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday was marked by controversy, with two perfectly good goals disallowed by the referee. Former England international Danny Murphy has weighed in on the debate, suggesting that Leeds will only have themselves to blame if they fail to secure promotion.
Murphy argues that the officiating blunders against Cardiff, Coventry, and Middlesbrough will have no material impact on the final table standings, as Leeds won all three of those games. He also points out that the current Championship leaders still retain a healthy goal difference advantage over their rivals Burnley and Sheffield United.
While acknowledging that referees can make mistakes, Murphy believes that the absence of VAR in the Championship is not a significant issue. He suggests that many fans enjoy watching football without the influence of VAR and that the financial burden of implementing the technology may be too great for some clubs.
Murphy also notes that Leeds have had their share of luck throughout the season, citing a penalty awarded in their 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers and a disputed non-penalty in Middlesbrough’s 3-1 defeat at Elland Road. He argues that if Leeds fail to secure promotion, they will have had numerous opportunities to win enough games to achieve their goal.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke, however, is likely to disagree with Murphy’s assessment, particularly given the history of errors involving his team. The linesman who disallowed Ao Tanaka’s goal, Darren Williams, has been involved in several contentious decisions against Leeds this season. Farke will likely be hoping that Williams does not officiate any of Leeds’ remaining fixtures.
