“We should have been given a penalty and it was also a red card, it changed so much in the game, I think Leeds are becoming predictable”- Daniel Farke blasts costly refereeing decision as club legend Jon Newsome says Leeds are becoming predictable to play against

Leeds manager Daniel Farke insisted his side should have had a penalty after losing more ground in the battle for automatic promotion from the Championship with a 1-0 defeat at West Brom.

Farke was frustrated at referee Graham Scott’s refusal to award a spot-kick for a challenge by Baggies defender Cedric Kipre on Wilfried Gnonto in the 30th minute as Leeds suffered a second successive loss for the first time this season.

Seven minutes later, Grady Diangana scored the only goal to make it back-to-back home wins for the Baggies and move them to within three points of fourth-placed Leeds.

“Why should he go down when he’s one against one with the goalkeeper?” said Farke.

“I think the whole stadium saw the situation but they decided not to give us a penalty.

“Normally if that had been a penalty, it would also have been a red card. There was no intention to play the ball so it was a decisive moment in the game.

“It changed so much against a side who was so focused on defending.”

Diangana’s goal came off his knee after his first attempt was blocked by Joe Rodon after Okay Yokuslu split the Leeds defence for Jed Wallace to cross.

Meanwhile club legend Jon Newsome has blasted Leeds United for their lack of urgency in the game.

It was a familiar old tale for Leeds with it now their sixth loss on the road this season, many of which have come against teams who are happy to sit back and defend deep.

Leeds have been hailed as the best counter-attacking side in the division by some managers this season, but when they aren’t possible, there is very little in the way of creativity.

And speaking on BBC Radio Leeds, Newsome says Leeds have become predictable under Daniel Farke due to their lack of ‘urgency’ in their play going forward.

He said: “We have no urgency in our forward play. We get the ball at the back and we’re comfortable in possession, yes, we’ll keep the ball, but I look at it as an opposing defender.

“You can have the ball on the edge of your area or on the halfway line all afternoon and all evening long because you’re not hurting me, you’re not threatening my goal.

“When we do then try and start opening teams up, they’ve got a back five or a back four, midfielders sat in there, they know what we want to do, get the ball wide and have our wide men come at them.

“All they did all night long was double up on the wide men, so it made it virtually impossible for anyone to create anything because it’s too late, it’s way too late. I just think we’re becoming a little bit predictable.”

Farke seriously needs to find a way for Leeds to start unlocking deep defences otherwise any automatic promotion hopes could be ended as early as February.

Teams have started to work out exactly how to play against Leeds and the answers just aren’t there, which has led to so many poor teams like Stoke City, Preston North End and Birmingham City.