Leeds United left the Emirates empty-handed after Arsenal came back to win 2-1, ending Daniel Farke’s side’s unbeaten Premier League start.
However, the result was not the only source of frustration for the Leeds boss, who was unhappy with the officiating in a contest his team had threatened to win.
The Whites had a genuine chance at an upset when James Justin put them ahead in the 55th minute. But Arsenal responded through Riccardo Calafiori just seven minutes later, before Bruno Guimaraes completed the turnaround in the 70th minute.
Leeds had plenty to be disappointed about, especially after competing well against one of the division’s strongest sides. Farke was clearly unhappy with decisions that went against his team, and his post-match reaction added another talking point to an afternoon that had promised so much for the visitors.
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Daniel Farke launches furious referee rant
The Leeds boss was fuming with how Paul Tierney ran the game at the Emirates, and while he didn’t blame him for the defeat, the manager was appalled by the lack of consistency.
Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu received yellow cards for innocuous challenges, while Arsenal defenders repeatedly fouled Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tierney didn’t produce a card.
Farke insisted none of his players’ three yellow cards was undeserved, and he was extremely unhappy with the referee’s inconsistency.
Farke told reporters after the game: “All three yellows were not deserved.
“There was no consistency in these decisions, and when you ask them for explanations, they don’t have one; they are just annoyed, and they give even the manager a yellow card sometimes.”
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Farke has reasons to be angry
Farke will feel that his side deserved a fairer share of the decisions, particularly given how competitive Leeds were for much of the afternoon. Losing to Arsenal is hardly a disgrace, but the manner of the defeat will be harder to accept, especially after Leeds worked so hard to get ahead.
The Leeds boss will also know that his team cannot afford to let frustration over refereeing decisions distract them from the bigger picture. The performance had positives, and the challenge now is to turn them into points in the matches ahead.
Still, Farke is unlikely to be alone in feeling aggrieved if he believes key calls were inconsistent. Leeds went to the Emirates looking to test Arsenal, and they did exactly that for long spells. Ultimately, they left with nothing, and the manager’s anger over the officiating will keep the debate going beyond the final whistle.
