Jermaine Beckford has accused officials of “double standards” after Sunderland’s Habib Diarra escaped a second yellow card for his goal celebration, despite jumping into the away end at Elland Road .
The Black Cats midfielder, who Leeds tried to sign in the summer, had already been booked when he slotted home the decisive penalty in Wednesday’s 1-0 win . His celebration? Mounting the hoardings towards the ecstatic away fans, who grabbed at his arm and back .
Referee Stuart Attwell didn’t produce a second yellow. Beckford believes that’s a “clear and obvious error” .
BECKFORD’S VERDICT
“It looks like it’s double standards,” the Leeds hero told Leeds Live. “The last time I did that when I was celebrating, I got a yellow card.”
He’s got a point. Players jumping into the crowd is an automatic booking. Diarra did exactly that. On a yellow card already. And got away with it.
“What can you say about that? Again, it’s another clear and obvious, should we call it ‘error’? from the officials.”
Then came the frustration we’ve all felt.
“How many times are we gonna use that terminology and nothing changes? It’s frustrating, isn’t it?”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
This wasn’t just about one celebration. Leeds had their own penalty shout in the first half when Pascal Struijk was wrestled to the floor by Luke O’Nien . Nothing given.
Beckford reckons that decision changed everything.
“If Leeds got the penalty in the first half, Leeds go on to win the game, very, very easily. The possession stats say 70-30, the shots on goal were 18 to four but the game is one sided.”
He did concede the Sunderland penalty was correct, Ethan Ampadu’s handball was “the second movement” so you “hold your hands up” .
THE FRUSTRATION
Beckford’s not having a go for the sake of it. He’s genuinely pained.
“I don’t want to sound like one of those old ex pros that are just hammering officials and hammering VAR and hammering current players. I love football. I’m a purist.”
But when decisions like this keep happening, at some point you have to ask questions.
Leeds dominated. Had 70% possession. 18 shots. And lost 1-0 to a penalty decision and a celebration that probably should have seen the scorer sent off.
That’s not just bad luck. That’s officials getting it wrong. Again.
