Neil Warnock's furious rant after Leeds United v Sunderland 'disgrace' amid Everton example
The former Leeds United boss was far from happy following Monday’s dramatic night at Elland Road.
Neil Warnock was furious to see Daniel Farke booked in the aftermath of Pascal Struijk’s late winner on Monday night.
The Leeds United boss was shown a yellow card after wild celebrations as his side came from 1-0 down to beat Sunderland 2-1 and go top of the Championship. Wilson Isidor’s first-half effort looked set to be the only goal until substitutes Rothwell and Struijk twice combined to turn the game on its head.
Struijk’s second goal came deep into added-time and sparked chaotic scenes inside Elland Road, with Farke swept away by the emotion while celebrating with a group of his players. But after encroaching on the pitch, he was given a yellow card by referee Stuart Attwell - much to the fury of former Whites boss Warnock.
"What I don't miss in football is when you look at the referee at the end of the game," Warnock told Sky Sports. "I mean, he [Farke] celebrates, and he jumps on runs onto the pitch, doesn't he, with his team? What harm is he doing there? It will be a busy fourth official who's pulled Stuart Attwell over...get him in the book, and they absolutely love it.
“He'll be missing on the touchline at Bramall Lane. What's he doing refereeing the game, Stuart Attwell, why don't they have a Championship referee and give them experience of a top game like this? I don't understand that at all. And to book him, I think it's a disgrace. Did anybody book David Moyes in the Everton game the other night [against Liverpool]? I didn't see anybody booking him. A few cards weren't there, but my goodness.
“Stuart Attwell should have said on his radio to the fourth official ‘just let it go please’. I still don’t understand why a Premier League referee is refereeing that game. But at the end of the game, he shouldn’t be booking him for that.”
Farke will now have to serve a one-game touchline ban during next week’s top-of-the-table meeting with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, with Monday’s booking his third of the season. The ecstatic Leeds boss admitted doubt over whether the punishment was fair following the full-time whistle, and former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff echoed that sentiment.
“We all sit here and say you need to respect the rules, and referees are there to police those rules,” McAnuff added. “You see the emotion that’s within Daniel Farke throughout the game , that pressure that builds up, every now and again in a situation like that it’s going to spill over.
“And when I say spill over, he didn't do anything wrong other than stepping over the line and celebrating with that group of players. Do we want to get to a point in the game where we’re not allowed to show that emotion? Sometimes you can't control it. When something happens that late, what has he done there to deserve a card?”
Farke will still be able to attend next week’s game against Sheffield United, with the German able to speak with his players before kick-off and at half-time. He will also be able to pass on instructions to his coaching staff from the stands, with assistant coach Eddie Riemer expected to take charge in the dugout.