Pundits pile in on Firpo after DISASTROUS performance vs Newcastle
Pundits pile in on Leeds’ Junior Firpo after DISASTROUS performance that saw him give away a penalty before being sent off in 2-2 draw with Newcastle, as Jermaine Jenas slates the defender’s ‘torrid time’
- Leeds drew 2-2 with Newcastle in their Premier League clash on Saturday
- It came after Sam Allardyce’s side missed a penalty and gave two away
- Junior Firpo came in for heavy criticism and was sent off in injury time
Junior Firpo has been heavily criticised after giving away a penalty and being sent off for a second yellow card in Leeds’ draw with Newcastle.
The game finished 2-2 at Elland Road but could have been a home win after Sam Allardyce’s side missed a penalty and gave two away, both of which were scored by Callum Wilson.
Firpo was particularly at fault in the game, as his second half handball inside the area allowed Newcastle to take the lead.
He was then shown a second yellow card in injury time for a late challenge just outside the box, meaning the hosts had to survive the final seven minutes with just 10 men on the pitch.
Gary McAllister, who played almost 300 games for Leeds and won the league with them in 1992, felt Firpo’s handball was a result of the pressure the relegation-threatened team find themselves under.
Junior Firpo had an afternoon to forget in Leeds’ 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Saturday
He gave away a penalty for handling the ball in the area and was sent off in injury time
‘It’s unexplainable why he goes so high with his hand,’ he told BT Sport, ‘he gets himself in a terrible position, it’s a desperate and wrong decision.’
‘It comes from being under pressure, the pressure of having to get a result. They made bad decisions.’
Jermaine Jenas felt Firpo’s poor performance was a result of the working over he had been given by Newcastle’s forwards.
He said: ‘Isak and Bruno Guimaraes linked up many times down that left hand side and gave Firpo a torrid time. Eventually it got him sent off.
‘He was put under immense pressure from minute one in that game, and that was almost the culmination.’
Joe Cole added that the defender looked ‘nervous and anxious’ in the game, and felt there was ‘no reason for his arm’ to be as high as it was for the penalty incident.
Callum Wilson scored the penalty, his second of the game, as Leeds drew a game they could have won
Both Gary McAllister (left) and Jermaine Jenas (right) felt Firpo struggled in the game
Leeds remain in the relegation zone after the draw, but have overtaken Leicester into 18th and are now just one point behind Everton.
Their last two games come against West Ham and Tottenham, neither of whom are left with much to play for.
As for Newcastle, a stellar run of form through April has been followed by one point from their first two games in May.
They face Brighton, Leicester and Newcastle in their final games, and need six points to guarantee Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.
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