MusaPeter Bankes has come under heavy criticism for his decision to show a red card to Daniel Farke following Leeds United’s narrow 1-0 loss to Manchester City at Elland Road.
The Leeds manager was dismissed for approaching the official after the final whistle, having watched his side fall to a solitary Antoine Semenyo goal late in the first half, when the forward turned in Rayan Ait-Nouri’s cross.
But it was a series of contentious calls that ultimately sparked Farke’s fury at the break of play.
Farke left frustrated by officiating
Leeds pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, yet found City’s defence in resolute form. However, multiple decisions went against the hosts—most notably a strong penalty appeal with just five minutes left on the clock, when Matheus Nunes appeared to handle the ball inside his own area. Remarkably, VAR did not even intervene for a review.
Farke was also left seething at what he perceived as persistent time-wasting from the visitors in the closing stages. His frustrations boiled over at full-time, leading to a heated exchange with referee Bankes.
Mark Goldbridge, a Manchester United fan and popular YouTuber, was scathing in his assessment of the official’s handling of the incident.
“The referee pulls out a red card before Farke even reaches him and won’t even make eye contact,” Goldbridge said. “Hold on—you’re the man in the middle, not a god. You’ve just made a huge, questionable decision. Who do you think you are?”
Leeds must also look at themselves
While there is genuine cause for frustration with the officiating, Leeds must also reflect on their own failure to take something from the game. Facing a side competing for the Premier League title was always going to be a stern test, yet the Whites created enough chances to have earned at least a point.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring inside the first three minutes, firing wide from just 10 yards out. By full-time, Leeds had registered 14 shots—but only two were on target.
With greater composure in front of goal, there is little doubt they could have claimed a result, offering encouragement as they now turn their attention to a run of more winnable fixtures.
Musa
