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Patrick Bamford admitted he was "fuming with the referee" after the Leeds striker failed to get penalty, having stayed on his feet after a foul in the box by Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy.
Leeds went on to win the game 2-0, Bamford scoring the opener. But earlier in the game, McCarthy appeared to clearly catch the striker's ankle as he was running through on goal.
Bamford stumbled but stayed upright and, when no penalty was given - either by the referee Peter Bankes or via VAR - he could be seen repeatedly saying to the ref: "So I have to dive?"
Bamford said to Ref,
- Paul Clayton (@riverside221) May 18, 2021
'So I have to dive?' pic.twitter.com/ex7bpSr0oN
The Leeds No 9 was asked about the incident post-match and admitted: "I was fuming with the referee.
"Everyone is saying modern footballers go down too easy. But when you stay on your feet, you get punished and don't get a penalty, because if he [McCarthy] doesn't touch me, then I don't stumble and I can roll it into an empty net - and if I go down, I get a penalty.
"So I shouldn't be punished for trying to stay up. I think that's something they've got to look at.
"If you don't want players to dive - and you want to take it out of the game - then stop encouraging them to do so by not giving decisions like that."
"I shouldn't be punished for trying to stay up!"
- BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 18, 2021
Patrick Bamford thinks certain refereeing decisions are encouraging diving...
Report :arrow_down: #bbcfootball
Asked by the BBC if VAR should have intervened in an incident the on-field referee might have missed, Bamford replied: "Well, the referee said he didn't touch me and I said, 'Yeah, he did, check it.'
"He said, 'It's been checked, there's nothing.' So, for me, it's a penalty."
Funny how Bamford got banned for deceiving the Ref but then was honest in tonight's game, but had to dive to get a penalty.
- BARNEY :copyright: (@BarneyLUFC21) May 18, 2021
The lack of consistency #lufc pic.twitter.com/JSPr23pTBs
Patrick Bamford asking a referee if he has to dive to win a penalty after being clearly fouled by the goalkeeper is yet another new low for premier league referees and those working the VAR behind them.
- John Bradley (@jbradleymedia) May 18, 2021
Really, really annoying when a striker is punished for staying on his feet. Bamford clearly caught by the goalkeeper but because he doesn't go down no penalty is given.
- Tom Carnduff (@TomC_22) May 18, 2021
That's a penalty. Dead on prevented a goal scoring opportunity. Bamford shouldn't have to go down to get it. People wonder why players feel they need to dive.
- Martin "CBM" Riley (@MartinCBMRiley) May 18, 2021
The 27-year-old forward's eloquent complaint is a common one among modern footballers. Fans and pundits regularly bemoan players going down too easily under contact.
However the counterargument is that if a player successfully stays on his feet after being fouled in the box, they do not regularly get a penalty. Hence Bamford's "Do I have to dive?" complaint.
Says it all with modern football.
- LUKESLUFC. (@LUKESLUFCC) May 19, 2021
Nailed it on the head there paddy. https://t.co/N8dikwmWDc
At least the Leeds attacker registered his 16th goal of the season later in the game as his side rose to eighth in the table after the win at St Mary's.
Does Bamford have a point about players having to dive to draw attention to fouls in the box? Let us know in the comments.
All imagery: PA Images/Twitter
Topics: Southampton, Premier League, Leeds United, VAR, Patrick Bamford