In the confrontation between Leeds United and Brentford on Sunday, Leeds initially believed they had conceded a penalty. The tension between Leeds defender Gabriel Gudmundsson and Brentford’s Dango Ouattara, stemming from an earlier incident in the sixth minute, escalated when Gudmundsson made contact with Ouattara in the Leeds box in the 35th minute, leading to a penalty being awarded to Brentford. However, following a VAR check, the penalty decision was overturned.
The Premier League issued an official statement to clarify the situation, explaining the reasoning behind the penalty overturn in the match.
Referee John Brooks, who Leeds has a history with, initially pointed to the spot, suspecting a potential foul. The Premier League match center, in a statement on December 14, detailed why the penalty decision was reversed and clarified that no penalty was ultimately awarded. They stated, “After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of penalty to Brentford.” The statement also included the referee’s on-field announcement, which stated, “Referee announcement: ‘After review, Brentford number 19, who was fouled, is in an offside position. Therefore, the final decision is an indirect free-kick.'”
Leeds can approach the match with confidence, as they have arguably been the better team at the G-Tech Community Stadium, creating several scoring opportunities. Despite Brentford struggling to involve Igor Thiago in the game, Leeds remain focused on securing a crucial victory.
Currently, Leeds have maintained 38% possession, created 0.60 expected goals compared to the hosts’ 0.32, and taken eight shots, while the Bees have managed only three.
The significance of defeating Brentford cannot be understated for Leeds. While Brentford’s recent successes against Chelsea and Liverpool are noteworthy, a victory against Brentford would hold even greater weight. To survive the relegation battle, Leeds must accumulate points against teams in similar positions rather than relying solely on wins against top sides.
Leeds’ performance level indicates a promising trajectory towards securing all three points and edging closer to safety in the league standings.
