Junior Firpo's 'moment of madness' against Newcastle United was the culumination of the pressure the Magpies put him under all game, according to Jermaine Jenas.
The Leeds United full-back was involved in all the key moments of the 2-2 draw at Elland Road, winning the first-half penalty for the home side, only to see Patrick Bamford's effort saved by Nick Pope. However, his afternoon took a downward turn in the second half, as he could have seen red for a tackle on Bruno Guimaraes, before giving away a penalty for handball.
Firpo escaped a second yellow card for that discretion but then was finally sent off for bringing down Anthony Gordon as the former Everton man tried to break through on goal. Jenas felt the pressure had been building on Firpo all game - culminating in the rash decision for the handball.
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"He was put under immense pressure from minute one of this game, whether it was little one-two’s that were getting played down his side," Jenas said. "That’s almost the culmination of that pressure and having the ability to make a decision at the right moment. It was just another one from a Leeds player, unfortunately, but from Newcastle’s point of view it got them ahead in the game."
Newcastle felt Firpo could have been sent off for the challenge on Guimaraes shortly before the penalty, but a VAR check stuck with referee Simon Hooper's decision to just show the yellow card. And former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole felt he was slightly lucky to remain on the pitch.
"I think he got away with one there," he said after the game. "He looked nervous today. He looked like he was anxious and when the ball’s come across the penalty there is no need for his arm to be there.
"Sometimes you do the calculations when the ball is being delivered and you realise and you can’t fathom, sometimes, why you do it. His arm is in a terrible position and we knew from Isak’s reaction that he got something on that straight away. Players are going to do this with VAR, they see fingertips and they know that’s going to be a penalty."
Firpo will no miss Leeds's trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham next Sunday.
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