Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch is facing a touchline ban ahead of next week’s clash with Nottingham Forest.
Steve Cooper’s Reds will make the trip to Elland Road next Monday night looking to bounce back from three successive defeats. Their opponents are also without a win in three - a run which includes a 1-1 draw at Everton.
While Forest surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Bournemouth at the weekend, Leeds fell 5-2 away to Brentford. And just as VAR had a part to play at the City Ground, it was very much in the spotlight at the Gtech Community Stadium.
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Marsch accused the officials of a “lack of respect” after Ivan Toney’s hat-trick downed his side. He had been sent to the stands for protesting when the visitors were denied a penalty, after they had conceded the opening goal to a spot-kick following a lengthy VAR review.
Referee Robert Jones studied the replays on the pitchside monitor before deciding Toney had been fouled by Luis Sinisterra. But Marsch exploded with rage when there was no such review after Crysencio Summerville was tugged back by Aaron Hickey.
“I was calm, even when Brentford were given the penalty,” Marsch said after the game. “Even though I didn’t see it right away, but normally when the phrasing and verbiage is ‘clear and obvious’ and it takes that long to look at it, then for me it’s not clear and obvious. And when I saw it at half-time, I don’t believe it’s a penalty and if it is, it’s an incredibly soft one.
“Then there’s an action where I think Somerville is actually more of an egregious foul and it doesn’t even get looked at for VAR. I’m clearly dissatisfied. I’ve got to figure out how to have discussions with the league or with referees or something to help understand how some decisions get made.
“I was speaking with the fourth official, trying to be as respectful as I possibly could, even when a penalty was given that I probably didn’t think was a penalty. And then you don’t see it reciprocated, the respect.
“That’s what I would call it. That lack of VAR visit in the end to me is a lack of respect.”
Managers serve a one-match touchline ban if they are sent off, although that can be longer if violent conduct is involved. The Football Association have yet to confirm details, but if Marsch’s suspension is served immediately, he would be absent from the touchline against Forest.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was banned from the touchline for a match against Leicester City last month, as a result of improper behaviour after a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. His suspension was not served immediately, with the German appealing against a £35,000 fine and the one-match ban which had been imposed on him by an independent Regulatory Commission. That appeal was then dismissed by an Appeal Board.
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