Referee Keith Stroud was slammed by fans over turning down a Sunderland penalty appeal in their defeat against Leicester on Tuesday.
The Foxes went ahead with 12 minutes on the clock, after James Justin rose at the near post, his header getting the only goal of the game to secure a 12th win from 13 league matches to continue their stunning start to the season.
Leicester hit a post twice in the first half and missed a number of chances. Jack Clarke and Jobe came close in the opening 45 minutes, with the first half ending controversially after a clumsy challenge on Dan Neil inside the area went unpunished.
#SAFC FIRST HALF PENALTY SHOUT
— A LOVE SUPREME (@ALS_Fanzine) October 24, 2023
On the penalty incident, Sky Sports seem to be suggesting our players should have “shouted for it” and surrounded the referee. Last time we questioned a referee we had a player sent off 😂. Make it make sense.
— A LOVE SUPREME (@ALS_Fanzine) October 24, 2023
Pen all day. pic.twitter.com/leG24sS00z
— Steven Nicholson (@Stevienic73) October 24, 2023
Some Leicester fans took to praise their groundsmen’s ‘dirty tactics’ after spotting them pronging the turf in front of Sunderland’s goal.
A video was uploaded to social media before the game got underway, of two Leicester’s pitch staff walking into the penalty area being used by Sunderland’s goalies for a warm-up.
The Sunderland visiting keepers and coaches could be seen having words, as they were unable to continue their warm-up.
Leicester’s groundsmen didn’t think much of their protests and carried on doing what they were doing.
Mate at the match sent me this. Dirty non league tactics of winding up our goalkeeper 😡 #lcfc #SAFC pic.twitter.com/h1rTo5AfaP
— Clint Gibson (@g19ppa) October 24, 2023
Cesare Casadei and Kelechi Iheanacho also could have extended the hosts’ lead not long into the second half, while, Abdoullah Ba also put the ball over from close range late on.
Leicester recorded an eighth successive victory in the Championship to move eight points clear at the top of the table.
Leicester City: Hermansen, Juston, Faes, Casadei, Winks, Mavididi, Iheanacho (Vardy 68), Fatawu (Albrighton 80), Ricardo, Dewsbury-Hall, Vestergaard.
Subs not used: Ward, Coady, Souttar, Choudhury, Daka, Marcal, Stolarczyk.
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Huggins (Cirkin 64), Neil, Ekwah (Rigg 64), Jobe (Pritchard 74), Roberts, Clarke, Burstow (Ba 64).
Subs not used: Bishop, Seelt, Triantis, Luis Hemir, Rusyn.
Leicester’s Enzo Maresca:
“We are happy but we are not thinking we are the only club in the Championship trying to get promoted.
“In football, the normal thing is to lose more than you win. In this moment we’ve won 12 out of 13, it’s not something normal, the players and the fans deserve to enjoy it after the relegation.
“We know that these records are important if we reach our target, these records show what the players have done and that it is not something normal, but we’re still in October.
“We would like to have the same situation in March and April, it’s fantastic, we are not the only team building to reach the title and in our case we changed 14 or 15 players from last season.
“It was a very difficult game, it’s probably the game I’m most happy with in terms of handling a different kind of game, we were very aggressive and were quite good on the ball.”
Sunderland’s Tony Mowbray:
“We believed we could come here and win the game, we missed some really good chances. I asked the players to challenge themselves and see if they want to play in the Premier League one day.
“We competed really well, we just lacked the composure required at the top end of the pitch. If that’s the level we play at every week, we’re going to win enough games.
“We just need to improve the end product. We can score goals, we missed some golden chances to put the ball in the net.
“We’re not finishing above Leicester City, I think Leicester will win the league. Burnley had the same amount of points as we do at this stage last season, the results will take care of themselves.
“We put a lot of work into defending set-plays because we’re not a huge team, a free header has cost us two games on the bounce.”
As mentioned, the referee was slammed over his decision for the Sunderland penalty appeal…
@ShaunGunner2: Last time a player dared to challenge a ref he got sent off
@KDCaccounting: 100% penalty – Stroud again
@tommym2323: On about not appealing 😂 if you do you get booked for it anyway
@davidjohnston52: Don’t you just love ex footballers. Wasn’t a foul because we didn’t appeal.
@1973mackem: Jesus wept #SAFC 🤬
@tenchylad: Genuinely wonder if we will get the rub of the green from any ref this season. Poor decision have been like buses the past 3 matches. Not saying this would have made a jot of difference last night, but there needs to be balance, and at the moment it doesn’t feel that way.
@evann_lloyddd: @FA_PGMOL care to explain how this isnt a penalty? #SAFC
@DowsonIan: Penalty all day long #foxes #SAFC
@WhiteEddy_83: Honestly at this point, there may as well not be any fucking refs!
@Addent33: Abysmal reffing. Until they’re sacked for this nonsense it’ll continue. Even VAR might have been able to call that correctly…
@GarethMence: @FA_PGMOL explain this one!!!
@RokerEndDweller: Stonewall- no doubt we will get a meaningless apology next week
@DochertyNiall: Unreal that like 🤯
@Brysa08: What a joke!! Absolute blatant pen. It’s fine tho, we’ll get an apology after the game 🤦🏼♂️
@tomlaws_: Absolute joke like
@horljj: Shock horror. Other box and it’s given by an over excited linesman
@EthanSmith1717: We aren’t surprised anymore
@SAFCEd79: @FA_PGMOL apology number 3 please
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