‘He can challenge’… Daniel Farke admits he thought the Leeds United player would be sent off

49ers and Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe was on hand to watch the plan work, which ended in a 0-0 draw with a goal to spare. Leeds now return home with hopes of winning the tie in front of their fans.

Indeed, Farke dropped Archie Gray into the side for Joel Piroe ahead of midfielders Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara. But not to play as a number 10, more to help dominate the midfield and look more confident without the ball.

It worked, with Gray producing a tireless display, according to BBC Radio Leeds pundit Jon Newsome. For Willy Gnonto, it was a frustrating day and the Italy winger can be considered somewhat unlucky.

Gnonto could and should have had a penalty in the sixth minute after a foul by Borja Sainz. Scott Minto said it was a penalty given there was contact and no touch on the ball but it was overlooked.

The referee was then booked at the end of the first half for sarcastically cheering referee Josh Smith, and Farke explained his decision to replace the wide man, believing Gnonto could end up being sent off.

Farke believes Willy Gnonto could have received a red card

The last thing Leeds need at the moment is to receive any suspensions. Farke are already without key players like Patrick Bamford, Connor Roberts and Pascal Struijk, so losing Gnonto would have been a huge blow.

As the Leeds manager says, it was the right decision to bring Gnonto out with the former Zurich and Inter Milan star notorious for being a bit of a hothead, and now he has Gnonto available on Thursday night.

“No problem (with Gnonto). Some bruises and blood, but they must be fresh on Thursday, our strikers. Willy was booked. With the incident you could feel that Sainz fouled him, he pretended to take a hit.

“You could sense a second yellow might come. 20 year old we can challenge. I didn’t want to take that risk. He played quite well but after 70 years in these conditions it was the right choice to take him out.”

The referee has already sent off one Leeds player this season

Midfielder Smith officiated for Leeds for the fifth time this season. It comes after the first day with Cardiff, a 2-1 win at home to Plymouth, a 3-1 win against Hull and away to Preston.

Of course, the defeat at Deepdale saw Leeds go down to 10 men, with Smith sending on Illan Meslier for a slight push on Preston’s Milutin Osmanjic, and although it is the law, he would have been right to show him a yellow.

That may also have been in Farke’s thinking to replace Gnonto to avoid a red card under a referee who is clearly willing to dish out reds for just a push on another player, good decision from Farke.

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