Dermot Gallagher suggests two Derby County players could have been sent off against Leeds United

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If Leeds United avoid defeat against Derby County on Wednesday night then they will reach the play-off finals.

Dermot Gallagher has suggested that Derby County duo Fikayo Tomori and Tom Huddlestone were ‘lucky’ not to be sent off during their 1-0 defeat to Leeds United on Saturday.

In what was a highly-charged and controversial affair with a number of talking points, former Premier League referee Gallagher was critical of the challenges made by Tomori and Huddlestone during the game.

Referee Craig Pawson spoke to centre-back Tomori for his high and aggressive challenge on Jamie Shackleton, whilst substitute Huddlestone received a yellow card for his forearm to the neck of Stuart Dallas despite the ball being out of the picture.

Speaking during a Ref Watch Special on Sky Sports News (14/05/2019 at 10:10 am), Gallagher shared his thoughts on those incidents.

Fikayo Tomori challenge on Jamie Shackleton: “This is the one decision over the weekend that I was really mystified at,” Gallagher told Sky Sports News. “It’s certainly a foul. There’s no doubt about that. It’s at least a yellow card. He has got the ball, let’s be fair.

“The referee played on and then at the next stop the referee called him up and spoke to him. The player was mystified, I can understand that because he can say ‘if you haven’t given a free-kick, how can you talk to me?’. But a lucky, lucky boy. You can’t make challenges like that.

Tom Huddlestone’s forearm to Stuart Dallas: “What a risk he’s run. He’s lucky because that [forearm to Dallas’ neck] is not nice. He is a lucky, lucky boy not to get sent off for this.”

Leading up to the play-off semi-final encounter, there was a lot already being talked about given what had happened with Spygate in January.

The number of controversial moments during the encounter just added more spice to the game as Kemar Roofe netted the only goal of the match at Pride Park.

Both teams will go at it again, this time at Elland Road on Wednesday where Marcelo Bielsa and his players are 90 minutes away from Wembley.

If they can avoid defeat in front of their own supporters then they will be playing either Aston Villa or West Bromwich Albion in the play-off final at the end of this month.