'Wrongly' - Mike Dean's Leeds United observation and why West Brom handball opener stood - YEP 19/8/23
Mike Dean has made a Leeds United observation in explaining why West Brom striker Brandon Thomas-Asante’s handball opener stood in Friday’s draw at Elland Road.
By Lee Sobot
Leeds are still seeking their first win of the new
Championship season following Friday’s 1-1 stalemate against the Baggies who
went ahead in the 52nd minute when a Jayson Molumby strike from a corner
deflected off Thomas-Asante en route to finding the back of the net.
Replays showed that the ball had actually come off the West
Brom forward’s arm and that he could be viewed as offside depending on Luke
Ayling’s position as he attempted to defend the Whites corner from the
goalline.
Speaking on Soccer Saturday, former Premier League official
Dean admitted the goal was wrongly allowed to stand but said there were various
factors that led to that decision, notably the absence of VAR but also the
possible lack of protests from United’s players.
"There's no VAR for a start,” said Dean, asked why the
goal stood. "The referee is in the position he should be in, he's not
going to see the deflection. The assistant referee is where he should be.
"The shot has come in, you just see a deflection.
What's it come off? Nobody knows so he can't guess and there wasn't hardly any
Leeds players complaining that it had gone in off his arm so I am guessing the
referee is thinking there's nothing wrong.
