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Joshua Hobbs

Former ref explains why Leeds United offside plea before crucial decision fell on deaf ears

Leeds United will be without their starting right back and vice-captain, Luke Ayling for the final three games of the Premier League season. Ayling received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Gabriel Martinelli amid a dreadful first-half for the Whites at the Emirates.

Ayling was originally shown a yellow card by referee Chris Kavanagh, but VAR quickly intervened and the referee changed his decision on review. Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports that was the right decision.

"Definitely [the right decision]," he said. "I think the process is perfect. For whatever reason, he doesn't see the angle [where the two-footed nature of the challenge is clear] .

Read more: The loan rules that prevent Cody Drameh replacing Luke Ayling in Leeds United's huge run-in

"He's out of control. There's no way he can stop himself. I think it's a dangerous tackle anyhow. When Chris [Kavanagh] is sent to the screen he doesn't take long to look because he's been told by the VAR, 'look, in my opinion you need to look at this again. It's a bad tackle, he has gone two-footed."

However, there was a question of whether Gabriel Martinelli could have been flagged offside in the build-up as the Brazilian looked to have run just beyond the backline. Had that been the case, Ayling would not have made the challenge in the first place.

Gallagher explained why that was incorrect: "If he was offside. There's no evidence that he was offside.

"The assistant doesn't flag and there's no excuse. He can only flag if the assistant is sure he's offside which he obviously wasn't. It wasn't one where's he's waited [to see if a goal-scoring opportunity unfolds]."

Leeds now face the prospect of playing their final few games with a make-shift right back. Jamie Shackleton looks the most likely option for Jesse Marsch at this stage.

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