Leeds suffered a 2-1 loss to Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
Eddie Gray has told LUTV that it was “disappointing” to see Pontus Jansson sent off for a second yellow card as Leeds United suffered a 2-1 loss to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
Sam Clucas and Joe Allen scored as Nathan Jones picked up a much-needed first win since taking over from Gary Rowett at Stoke, after losing to Brentford in the Championship and Shrewsbury in the FA Cup.
Jansson was given his marching orders in the second half with the score still at 1-0 to Stoke. Jack Butland pulled off a stunning save from Luke Ayling to preserve Stoke’s lead.
Allen gave Stoke a 2-0 lead in the 88th minute, before Gjanni Alioski scored a consolation but Gray was disappointed with the sending off of the Sweden international, which will now see him banned for the trip to Rotherham.
“We’re still top of the division,” Gray said. “It’s going to be a couple of important weeks. We go to Rotherham, then you’ve got the big game against Norwich at home.
“It’s disappointing today with Pontus getting sent off. He is a player you need playing, you know. Hopefully, other players will be back. You can get over that. But it just wasn’t to be.”
Jansson, 27, was seen pushing a steward after his red card, which he has since ended speculation on Twitter by telling fans and media that he was only trying to give a fan his shirt.
The colossal defender’s discipline had been a lot better before the Stoke red, picking up only three yellow cards all season. Last season, he earned 13, and 15 the season before.
Norwich’s win over Birmingham City on Friday night closed the gap between the top two to just a point, while Sheffield United suffered a 1-0 loss to Swansea City – meaning they remain on 50 points in third.
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