Referee for QPR Clash Criticized on Twitter by Mateusz Klich Following Controversial Decision Against Leeds Last Season
Leeds United Take on QPR in Final Match Before International Break at Elland Road
Daniel Farke’s Leeds United will be eager to return to winning form after suffering only their second defeat of the season against Millwall on Wednesday night.
Key attackers like Wilfried Gnonto and Dan James had a disappointing showing at The Den, but the swift nature of the Championship schedule gives them an opportunity to quickly bounce back in their next game just days later.
Farke will also be hoping for a smoother experience with officiating than at Millwall, where he expressed visible frustration with the decisions made by referee Leigh Doughty.
Farke was particularly unhappy with Doughty’s frequent awarding of soft free-kicks to the home side and the limited four minutes of added time in the second half.
This weekend’s match against QPR will see referee Matthew Donohue officiate his first Leeds game of the season.
However, Leeds fans may recall some frustrating moments with Donohue from last season, as he was the official for their 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.
During that game, Donohue controversially allowed a clear handball goal by Brandon Thomas-Asante to stand and failed to award a penalty when Joe Gelhardt was tackled aggressively in the box.
These decisions drew frustration from Farke and also from Leeds player Mateusz Klich, who tweeted a pointed message at full-time, saying, “Bring the VAR back now!”
Donohue’s officiating caused issues for Leeds in other matches as well, including their final regular season game against Southampton.
In that match, he handed out several questionable yellow cards, adding to the tense atmosphere of a game that ultimately had little consequence for either side’s promotion hopes.
Last season, Donohue officiated four Leeds matches, with the team securing two wins, one draw, and one loss.
The wins came against Norwich City at home and Plymouth Argyle away, though even in these games, Donohue’s decisions were met with mixed reviews.
As Leeds head into their clash with QPR, both players and fans will hope for a consistent and fair performance from the referee, allowing the team to focus fully on securing another victory and moving past their midweek defeat.
