Leeds United lodge appeal against Pascal Struijk red card

The substitute was dismissed following a second-half challenge on Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, who dislocated his ankle in the incident.

Replays showed that Struijk appeared to win the ball clearly, with Elliott replying to an Instagram post on Monday stressing that the Leeds defender had nothing to apologise about.

He wrote: "Wasn't his fault what so ever! Neither was it a red card just a freak accident but these things happen in football. I'll be back stronger 100%. Thanks for all the support."

Elliott was discharged from Leeds General Infirmary on Sunday night and will undergo surgery this week.

Initially after the game, head coach Marcelo Bielsa suggested that Leeds were unlikely to appeal against the red card issued by Craig Pawson to Struijk, which carries an automatic three-match ban.

The Sheffield-based official initially allowed play to continue but when, alerted by the response of Mohamed Salah and the Liverpool bench, he saw the extent of Harvey Elliott’s injury, with Struijk dismissed for “the intensity (of the tackle) and endangerment of Elliott”.

Bielsa, speaking after the game, said: “Pascal recovered the ball. But I have the feeling the movement of the rest of the body after he recovered the ball made him hit Elliott. I’m totally sure there was no bad intention.

“I regret that such a young career at such a high level has been interrupted and I hope he’s able to come back.”

On whether Leeds would appeal, he said: “For me the referee decides. He has enough resources to make a decision. I never like to question the decision the referee makes.”