Leeds United moved a step closer to Premier League safety after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, with Sean Longstaff grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser.
The Whites arrived with a bit more breathing room after back-to-back league wins, and with an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea coming up on Sunday.
Still, Daniel Farke went with a strong lineup. For a while, it looked like Bournemouth had done enough to take all three points, with Rayan appearing to have sealed it for the hosts.
But Longstaff had the final say, striking late to round off a solid away performance and secure a valuable point for Leeds.
The late goal didn’t sit well with Andoni Iraola, who gestured his displeasure after the incident and has come out strongly against the referee in his post-match interview.
The Bournemouth boss is livid with the late Leeds goal
Iraola conceded that he has no problems in accepting that Evanilson was offside for Bournemouth’s third goal, which was disallowed for the tiniest of margins.
However, he stressed that Longstaff’s goal should have been chalked off as well because Joel Piroe was blocking the goalkeeper’s view from an offside position.
Iraola said on Sky Sports: “It’s a difficult one to swallow. Our offside is millimetres, but you have to accept the machine. He [Evanilson] is one millimetre ahead of the last defender.
“But the last goal I cannot accept. Joel Piroe is offside, it makes Petro’s [Djordje Petrovic] job more difficult. He doesn’t see. If you put a wall in front of the keeper, it’s offside.
“Two points we lose because of the decision. Piroe makes the save more difficult; there is no discussion. Would he have saved it? I don’t know. It makes it more difficult.
“I am not going to discuss the 50-50s, the penalty of Brooksy [David Brooks], but this one I cannot accept because it is two massive points for us.
“I am waiting [for the referee]. I am waiting 30 minutes. I will go straight away to talk to him. It doesn’t matter, but it’s offside. You cannot have any benefit from an offside position. How much it affects? It’s not a discussion – 0.1% – it’s offside.”
The Whites will not care; they are now safe
Wins over Manchester United and Wolves had already taken the pressure off, and this draw at Bournemouth moves Leeds another step closer to securing their Premier League status.
They still sit nine points clear of the relegation zone, even with a game in hand on Tottenham, and it looks increasingly likely they will be playing top-flight football again next season.
One more victory should be enough, and they will back themselves against an already relegated Burnley side at Elland Road on May 1, where survival could be wrapped up.
Leeds delivered a solid away performance and, in the end, deserved the point they earned against Bournemouth.
Attention now turns to the biggest game of their season, with Daniel Farke preparing his side for a trip to Wembley to face Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
