Struijk’s three-match ban for Elliott tackle upheld after Leeds appeal fails

Dutch
defender
Struijk
was
sent
off
in
the
second
half
of
Leeds’
3-0
Premier
League
defeat
on
Sunday
(September
12)
after
18-year-old
Elliott
suffered
a
nasty
injury.

Elliott
attempted
to
lead
Liverpool
on
a
counterattack
but
Struijk
halted
the
move,
lunging
in
and
hooking
the
ball
away.

While
the
tackle
initially
appeared
to
be
a
clean
one,
with
referee
Craig
Pawson
not
even
awarding
a
foul,
Elliott
could
quickly
be
seen
clutching
his
left
ankle
after
his
left
tangled
awkwardly
with
Struijk’s.

The
nearby
Mohamed
Salah
desperately
ushered
medical
staff
on
to
the
pitch
before
play
was
stopped,
the
Egyptian
then
recoiling
and
walking
away
seemingly
in
a
state
of
shock.

Teenager
Elliott
required
lengthy
medical
attention
before
being
carried
off
on
a
stretcher
and
then
taken
to
hospital.

Elliott
acknowledged
later
in
an
Instagram
comment
that
the
injury
was
a
“freak
accident”
and
the
tackle
was
undeserving
of
a
red
card,
while
Leeds
owner
Andrea
Radrizzani
suggested
even
a
yellow
would
have
been
harsh
on
Struijk.

Yet,
Leeds
confirmed
on
Wednesday
(September
15)
their
appeal
has
been
unsuccessful,
meaning
Struijk
will
miss
Premier
League
clashes
with
Newcastle
United
and
West
Ham
either
side
of
an
EFL
Cup
game
against
Fulham.