Ex-England goalkeeper breaks down key Lucas Perri moment in Leeds United defeat to Aston Villa
The Leeds United goalkeeper has come under the microscope for his role in Aston Villa’s winner.
Former England international goalkeeper Joe Hart has explained why Leeds United’s Lucas Perri was rooted to the spot as Morgan Rogers scored from a free-kick to put Aston Villa 2-1 up on Sunday.
Leeds fell to their fifth defeat in six games at the hands of Villa to remain in the Premier League relegation zone for at least a week. Lukas Nmecha put the Whites ahead somewhat fortunately early on but a second-half brace from Rogers ensured all three points returned to Birmingham.
Rogers’ deft finish drew Villa level just a couple of minutes after the half-time break, with substitute Donyell Malen left in space to cross, and the attacking midfielder put his side ahead on 75 minutes. Pascal Struijk was forced to bring down Ross Barkley just outside the box and a dipping free-kick beat Perri.
Questions were immediately asked of Perri, given Rogers’ free-kick hit the middle of the Leeds net, with the goalkeeper seemingly unsighted by a combination of his own wall and a Villa blockade alongside it. But former Manchester City and Celtic shot-stopper Hart has broken down the Brazilian’s role in detail.
“His [Rogers’] technique, he’s just looking to get it up and over the wall,” Hart told Match of the Day. “It makes it very difficult and it leaves Perri stood there. I’m going to tell you why.
“The ball is 10 inches above the bar when it goes over the wall, and he has no idea of the trajectory, Perri, when he sees this. This is the timeframe he’s got to make a decision, move and save it, and a millisecond later it’s five feet above the goal line. Unbelievable movement.
“Everyone’s looking around Elland Road saying, ‘Why’s he just stood there?’ As the ball leaves Morgan Rogers’ foot, it just threatens to swerve left, it leaves his foot and swerves the other way. This is the moment Perri is set for the ball to come towards him, and in the end, he’s stuck in the mud, and he can’t move.“
Lucas Perri’s difficult Leeds United start
Perri’s start to life in Leeds has been mixed since joining from Lyon in a £14million deal over the summer. The 27-year-old signed a four-year deal to become first-choice at Elland Road but a combination of injury issues and seemingly avoidable goals have tested the new goalkeeper.
A quad injury suffered in September kept Perri out for five Premier League games and back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow looked decent, but the summer signing returned for victory against West Ham. Leeds have since lost three straight games and conceded eight goals in the process, however, some of which appear avoidable.
Perri came under the microscope a little in the build-up to Nottingham Forest’s equaliser, with the goalkeeper unable to hold a cross and his parry falling at the feet of goalscorer Ibrahim Sangare. The former Lyon man did make a quite incredible save minutes before Nmecha’s opener at the City Ground, albeit the offside flag eventually went up.
On Sunday, the Leeds shot-stopper was beaten by a deft finish from a tight angle before finding himself rooted to the spot for Rogers’ second. On Sunday, either he or Darlow will face Manchester City and Erling Haaland.