Leeds United defender ‘lucky’ to escape red card against Newcastle United - according to ex-referee

Firpo was given a yellow card by Hooper just before the hour mark after the Spaniard caught Guimaraes with a very strong challenge in the middle of the park. The decision was looked at by VAR, but Neil Swarbrick decided to uphold the referee’s decision just to caution Firpo.

A red card would have left Leeds with a man less than their visitors with over half an hour to play at Elland Road - a potentially game and season-altering moment for both teams. And Gallagher, who appeared on Sky Sports Ref Watch on Monday, believes Firpo was ‘lucky’ to avoid a sending-off for this incident.

Gallagher said: “He had a tough morning this referee, this was a tough game to referee. There’s no doubt he got the big decisions right.

“I think he’s lucky so much as he catches him with his shin rather than his studs, and that’s what saves him. His legs actually go between his opponents legs and he doesn’t catch him full on.”

This wasn’t the end of Firpo’s time in the limelight on Saturday, however, with him going on to concede a penalty less than ten minutes later before he was eventually dismissed by Hooper in the dying minutes for a foul on Anthony Gordon. Despite Richard Keys’ complaints, there was little debate about the awarding of Newcastle’s second penalty at Elland Road and Gallagher agreed wholeheartedly with the decision to send Firpo off late on.

“No arguments.” Gallagher said. “It’s a clear foul, pushes him in the back and a second yellow card because he was already on a yellow card and he makes no attempt to play the ball.”