Ayling forgets the routine
Luke Ayling was called into the Leeds United starting line-up for the first time since Arsenal away last season and he seemed to forget the pre-match routine. As the players lined up under the Premier League banner, ready to shake hands, Ayling instead turned to sprint off to the pitch for a few last-minute drills.
The right-back soon remembered his place and sprinted back to get in line for the pleasantries with Fulham.
Ayling and Rodrigo inquest
The low point of the first half was undoubtedly the soft concession of Aleksandar Mitrovic’s headed equaliser. Luke Ayling let the striker get in front of him far too easily, while Rodrigo had been the man facing the corner from the edge of the six-yard box.
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They looked at each other for an initial explanation for how it had been allowed to happen and would pick it up during a later break in play too. In the 44th minute, with Mitrovic getting treatment, they began finger-pointing again and explaining themselves to one another.
Neither were happy with what the other had allowed to happen on their watch.
Fans call for heads to roll
The dissent was clear to hear at Leicester City on Thursday night. All corners of the away contingent were asking what was going on and where Jesse Marsch was at full-time.
The anger was held back for a long period of Sunday afternoon. The mood and noise was optimistic through the early stages of the game, even after the Fulham equaliser, but once the visitors took the lead and the bottom fell out of United’s match plan the support turned.
At 2-1, the calls began in the Norman Hunter Stand. “You’re getting sacked in the morning” for Marsch and then “sack the board” for those on the front row of the directors’ box.
Compatriot consolation
Marsch was not going to repeat Thursday’s mistake. The head coach made sure to go around the pitch and clap all corners before he made for the tunnel.
While there was widespread applause, there was a lot of audible booing too. It must have been a chastening experience for the head coach, who did have one friendly face waiting to embrace him as he came off.
Fulham’s American defender Tim Ream made sure he waited by the mouth of the tunnel to speak with his compatriot and give him some good wishes before returning to the capital.
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