Patrick Bamford scored controversially during Leeds’ win against Rotherham, leaving the visiting manager angry about a ‘blatant handball’ undetected by officials.
- Leeds star Patrick Bamford appeared to use his elbow to score against Rotherham.
- Rotherham manager Leam Richardson reportedly fumed at the ‘blatant handball’ goal.
- Chris Sutton: Erik ten Hag is still facing trial. He needs more than modest improvement this season to keep his job. It’s All Kicking Off Podcast
Bamford scored within the first 10 minutes of Leeds’ 3-0 triumph on Saturday, and Crysencio Summerville added a brace later in the game.
However, there was significant disagreement about Bamford’s shot because he appeared to use his elbow to guide the ball into the Rotherham goal.
In the tenth minute of the game, full-back Junior Firpo sent in a cross that Bamford assisted in directing into the goal.
However, replays later posted on X, now known as Twitter, appeared to show the striker extending out his elbow to drive the ball into the net.
Bamford, on the other hand, made certain that there was no question about what had occurred by wheeling away and celebrating with his elbow.
The forward sprang in the air to celebrate his goal, thrusting his elbow out in the same way he had just moments before.
Leeds’ official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, tried to make light of the situation by posting the goal with the remark ‘They all count!’.
However, Rotherham manager Leam Richardson was furious with the incident and claimed that officials missed a ‘obvious’ handball.
He said, ‘It’s an obvious handball. It’s a difficult place to be in any case, and if decisions like that are made against you, you’re going to struggle.
It should have been a simple decision for the referee to prohibit it.
‘I think we started the match quite well. We brought the game to them. But then a major decision went against us, and it was an uphill battle from then.
‘Patrick’s [Bamford] admitted afterwards that the ball had struck his arm. When something is as obvious as that, you expect those decisions to follow you.
Back in October, a commentator labeled Bamford a ‘diving cheat’ after he looked to dive in Leeds’ match against QPR, which resulted in keeper Asmir Begovic being sent out.
During the game, Bamford broke free and charged at Begovic, only for the Bosnian to leap into a tackle and be sent out – despite the striker theatrically hitting the deck, there was no contact.
As a result, QPR commentators were outraged by the England striker’s deeds and wasted no time in expressing their true thoughts, shouting: ‘There’s no touch, he’s a diving cheat!’
Seconds later, when Bamford hovered over the ball to take the supposedly bought free-kick in the 93rd minute, the commentators began their barrage: ‘Bamford the cheat will take the free-kick, left-footed from outside the area’.
