Leeds United fans are not happy after the EFL named John Busby as the referee for their big game against Preston North End on Saturday.
This comes after a week full of drama at Middlesbrough, where Leeds won 1-0 but were left angry by some poor refereeing.
Let’s take a look at why fans are nervous and what this means for the next match.
Farke Fuming After Middlesbrough Game
Leeds went top of the Championship table on Tuesday night with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.
Dan James scored early, and that goal was enough to get the three points. But the real story came with the referee’s decisions.
Manager Daniel Farke was very upset after the game. Leeds had two goals ruled out, one from Ao Tanaka and one from Patrick Bamford.
Replays showed Tanaka was clearly onside, but the flag still went up. Farke was so angry he even asked the EFL to stop linesman Darren Williams from working Leeds matches again.
Despite all this, the win pushed Leeds two points clear at the top, ahead of Sheffield United and Burnley.
But now, Farke’s focus turns to Preston, another tough test made harder by the ref in charge.
Why Leeds Fans Don’t Trust Busby
The EFL have picked John Busby to take charge of the Preston match. Leeds fans remember him well and not in a good way.
Busby was the ref when Leeds drew 1-1 with Preston back in December. In that game, Preston’s Ben Whiteman made a nasty challenge on Jayden Bogle.
Everyone thought it should’ve been a red card, but Busby didn’t even show yellow. BBC Radio Leeds pundit Jon Newsome said Busby “bottled it.”
It’s not just Leeds who’ve had problems with Busby. Former West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, who also worked at Leeds in the past was angry when Busby didn’t give West Brom a clear penalty against Blackburn.
What the Numbers Say
Busby has refereed 13 Preston games. They’ve won six, drawn four, and never had a player sent off. That’s a decent record.
Leeds have only played twice under Busby. They’ve not lost either one win and one draw but fans still don’t trust him after the last Preston game.
With Burnley and Sheffield United also playing this weekend, the table could change again. Leeds need to stay focused and hope the referee doesn’t steal the show this time.
Every point matters now. With just five games left, Leeds can’t afford mistakes on or off the pitch.
Fans will be watching the referee just as closely as the players. Let’s hope this time, the whistle doesn’t get in the way of the win.
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