Dermot Gallagher reacts to Gaetano Berardi’s red card for Leeds

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Dermot Gallagher has told Sky Sports News (broadcast on 7/10; 11:53) that Gaetano Berardi should not have been sent off during Leeds United’s clash with Millwall on Saturday, and suggested that he would not have even given a penalty for the incident.

Leeds were given an uphill task in the early stages of their clash at the Den. Tom Bradshaw broke into the penalty box and went down as he passed Berardi having got the wrong side of the defender.

The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. But the official left many stunned by producing a red card.

Replays showed that there was, at most, minimal contact between Berardi and Bradshaw. And the Millwall striker appears to very briefly continue his run before ending up on the floor. Meanwhile, Kalvin Phillips is coming round to put himself between Bradshaw and the goal, so it looked an incredibly harsh decision to send the centre-back off.

Leeds have already confirmed that they plan to appeal the decision. And former Premier League referee Gallagher suggested that he would not be surprised to see the red rescinded.

“I think it’s a tough, tough call,” he told Sky Sports News. “But I don’t think it’s a penalty. And what I would say is, even if it is a penalty, I don’t think it’s a red card because Kalvin Phillips will cut him off. Maybe he gets a little touch but it’s not a penalty for me. It’s certainly not a red card.”

TBR’s View

Rescinding the red card may ease some pressure on Leeds while Liam Cooper is injured, but it will not do too much to alleviate the frustrations of the Elland Road faithful.

That incident allowed Millwall to go 1-0 up and boast a numerical advantage for the remaining 75 minutes. Unsurprisingly, Leeds were left with too much to do to get back in the game.