‘Embarrassment’ – Jeff Stelling hits out at fans over Leeds ace criticism at Sunderland
Jeff Stelling hit out at fans accusing Illan Meslier of laughing at his stunning error for Leeds United at Sunderland.
The talkSPORT host had already criticised the Frenchman’s Whites teammates via X on 4 October after Junior Firpo stormed off the pitch and he felt other were slow to console the keeper
He then added a further defence of Meslier, 24, for his own reaction, having gone from looking stunned at his massive mistake to attempting to laugh at his predicament.
The Leeds man allowed an unthreatening loose ball to bounce past him into the net in the 97th minute to hand the Black Cat’s an equaliser in the 2-2 draw, just as victory looked assured.
Stelling wrote: “By the way to all those saying he is smirking/laughing afterwards, he is smiling in embarrassment. What else is he meant to do? Cry?”
Junior Firpo credited with Leeds United own-goal
Meslier was laughing so he wouldn’t cry, just as the cliché goes, having looked as shocked as anyone in the seconds after the ball went in.
The keeper has been a calamity at times over the past couple of seasons after building a big reputation in his early years at Elland Road, but at the Stadium of Light he’d actually had a pretty good game.
An angry reaction may be understandable when a massive win was snatched away in such inexplicable circumstances.
But it was odd there was no focus in the aftermath of the final whistle on the fact Meslier had taken a knee to the head during the second half, after Pascal Struijk was pushed into him while gathering a low ball, because the late error had the look of someone seeing double.
It will be scant consolation to the players or the fans, especially since there is an international break to stew over the ending, but were it not for that late incident there was plenty to be impressed by, not least another excellent performance for Willy Gnonto, after he shone at Norwich, who assisted goals for Joel Piroe and Firpo.
There are certainly imperfections in this side, and Farke isn’t immune from criticism, but the Whites had done the hard part of turning round an early deficit to set up a win against the league-leaders.
99 times out of 100 they would have taken three points in that game, and if they build on the positives they might still look back on it as a good night.
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