Leeds United have right to ask PGMOL question but can’t allow mistakes to become excuse — Leeds Live 18/3/26

Leeds United might have been on the wrong side of referee luck in 2026 but they must hold up their end of the bargain

Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter

An exhale of breath, a short pause and a carefully delivered assessment. Ask Daniel Farke about a controversial referee decision that has gone against Leeds United and this is what follows.

This has become almost routine-like in recent weeks, given the amount of pivotal calls that have landed butter-side down for Leeds. Farke is always measured in his thoughts and always clear.

Just like his players, referees are not robots. They do not get things wrong on purpose. Respect is always paramount, which is perhaps why it is rare to see his men surround the referee over decisions, perhaps to the annoyance of some fans.

It is also why the German, usually so cool-headed, was furious when - according to Farke - Peter Bankes showed him a red card without a glance or an exchange of words having jogged over to ask about stoppage time after the final whistle was blown against Manchester City.

As the errors from officials have grown in blatancy in recent matches, so have Farke’s comments. He felt Bankes had ‘embarrassed’ him, called the decision not to award Pascal Struijk a penalty against Sunderland as “crazy” and outlined that it was obvious the red card for Gabriel Gudmundsson at Crystal Palace was the wrong call by Thomas Bramall.

The theory is that calls even themselves out over the course of the season, but Leeds might beg to differ. Since the turn of the year alone, Leeds have had some questionable calls go against them.

Rayan Cherki’s tread on Ilia Gruev and the no-penalty call on Matheus Nunes for handball were two in one match, while Farke felt aggrieved at Brenden Aaronson being penalised for handball against Newcastle United in January, albeit that is more of a rules issue.

The rest is down to the referee’s judgement and while VAR is not directly responsible for all of the aforementioned pinch-points, they by de facto have a role to play given they are supposed to review all key moments.

On Tuesday, the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel - which reviews what it says on the tin - unanimously judged that Leeds ought to have been given a penalty for Luke O’Nien’s clothes-line of Struijk. Shock, horror.

For what it is worth, Farke’s view on VAR is “we should use it in a way to overturn obvious major mistakes and otherwise we shouldn't use it.”

According to the Key Match Incidents panel, the Struijk penalty error was the first obvious VAR mistake that went against Leeds across the season. Some 18 mistakes have been made overall across the Prmeier League this season.

Meanwhile, only two on-field refereeing calls have been recognised as errors against Leeds - Max Dowman winning a penalty for Arsenal in August and Cole Palmer escaping a second yellow card in added time in last month’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea. To many Leeds fans, this is simply only the start.

Leeds do have a right to ask PGMOL chief Howard Webb why so many clear-cut refereeing mistakes are being made despite the presence of the theoretical safety net VAR, given the danger that these calls could cost them their place in the Premier League.

And yet Sunday’s goalless draw with Crystal Palace was a microcosm of why United still need to hold up their end of the bargain. Gudmundsson’s red card was only half of the story. In fact, it might not have happened at all if Dominic Calvert-Lewin had scored his penalty.

According to the xG, Leeds ought to have scored three goals in their last three games. They have actually scored none.

Calvert-Lewin has just one goal in eight games and by the time kick-off comes against Brentford on Saturday, the team will have not scored a Premier League goal for a month.

United did superbly to draw with Chelsea but should have won at Aston Villa and were far too flimsy against Sunderland, who made them pay thanks to a correct VAR handball call on Ethan Ampadu.

United are under-performing their xG by seven goals - the worst in the bottom six - and have meanwhile conceded nearly three more goals than they were expected to. Defeats against relegation rivals Burnley and Nottingham Forest have been recorded, as well as Tottenham Hotspur.

When it comes to away wins, Leeds only have one - back in September against bottom club Wolves, who are the only team to have won fewer (zero).

As per the xG, Calvert-Lewin - for all his good work - should have scored three more goals than he has done, with every other Leeds attacker below par score too. Leeds need to start doing their bit again.

United’s run of just two defeats across December and January showed they belong in the Premier League. Since then, their only win has come against Nottingham Forest and that was in the first week of February.

The good news is that Leeds attain the most-favourable run-in over their relegation rivals, with destiny very much still in their own hands.

The last three games Leeds have played - during which it felt like the referee, VAR, the “whole world” (as per Farke on Sunday) was against them - can act as a galvanising juncture to kick on for the run-in.

The reaction from the away end at Selhurst Park relayed the truth that Leeds will never go quietly, even if it feels like the world is against them.

United just need to make sure that their voice is not lost from the Premier League because of these VAR dramas. Then they can breathe a big exhale.