Daniel Farke has told his post-match press conference that he thought one of HIs Leeds United players was going to get sent off against Norwich City on Sunday afternoon.
Leeds went to Norwich for the first leg of their play-off semi-final tie and the brief from Farke was simple, improve defensively and avoid defeat ahead of a second leg against them at Elland Road on Thursday.
The 49ers and Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe was in attendance to watch the plan work, ending in a 0-0 draw and a clean sheet. Leeds now return home, with the expectancy to win the tie in front of the fans.
Indeed, Farke put Archie Gray in the side for Joel Piroe ahead of midfielders Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara. But not to play as a no.10, but more to help dominate the midfield and look more secure 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 even count himself somewhat unlucky.
Gnonto could and arguably 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 winger was then booked at the end of the first half for sarcastically clapping referee Josh Smith and Farke explained his decision to substitute the wide man, thinking Gnonto might end up being sent off.
Farke thinks Willy Gnonto could have been shown a red card
The last thing Leeds need right now is to pick up any suspensions. Already, Farke is without key players like Patrick Bamford, Connor Roberts and Pascal Struijk so to lose Gnonto would have been a huge blow.
As the Leeds manager says, it was the right decision to take Gnonto off with the former Zurich and Inter Milan star renowned 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 need to be fresh on Thursday, our attackers. Willy was booked. Once incident you could sense Sainz fouled him, pretended to get a hit.
“You could sense a second yellow might come. Young 20-year-old we can provoke. Did not want to take this risk. He played quite well, but after 70, in these conditions, it was the right choice to take him off.”
Referee has sent already sent a Leeds player off this season
The man in the middle, Smith, was officiating Leeds for the fifth time this season. It comes after the opening day against Cardiff, the 2-1 home win over Plymouth, 3-1 win over Hull and away at Preston.
Of course, the defeat at Deepdale saw Leeds go down to 10 men with Smith sending off Illan Meslier for a little push on Preston’s Milutin Osmanjic and while it is the law, it would have been fair to give a yellow.
That too might have been in Farke’s thinking to sub off Gnonto in order to avoid a red card under a ref that clearly is willing to dish out reds for as little as a push on another player, a good decision from Farke.