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The decision of referee Kevin Friend to award Leeds a crucial injury-time penalty in their win over Crystal Palace has been given the green light from pundit Karen Carney.

Leeds produced a high-intensity display that for much of the contest appeared on course to go unrewarded. The Elland Road crowd were vociferous from first minute to last, helping to lift the spirits of Marcelo Bielsa’s men in the effort stakes. However, as Leeds appeared on course for a second-successive goalless draw, a handball in the box by Marc Guehi saw Leeds awarded a last-gasp penalty.

That was converted with effortless ease by an ice-cool Raphinha. It was his sixth goal of an excellent season for the Brazilian; you can see our Player Ratings from Elland Road right here.

The vital goal earned Leeds just a third win of the season.

Speaking after the match, Bielsa said: “The win was very necessary. We really hoped we could win this game because the results we’d been getting weren’t good enough.

“The start of the second half was very good. The first half in general was balanced in our favour and the second half we also started well. There was a segment where they created danger, but we finished the game well.

Raphinha displays ice-cool mentality

“To have a penalty in the last minute in such an important game is not easy. You have to have character and personality to be able to score it.

“In every game we play, all the points are important given the start to the season we’ve had, which hasn’t been good. In every game it’s going to be an extreme necessity for us to get the points.”

Indeed, while Bielsa can rightly feel relieved, the penalty that won them the game was only awarded after a VAR check. Indeed, Friend had missed the incident in real time and only awarded the spot-kick after going to check the pitchside monitor.

Asked for her thoughts on the incident, Carney insists the decision was the correct one.

“Yeah. Definitely penalty,” she told Premier League Productions, where she was working as a pundit.

“Crystal Palace have been vulnerable on set pieces all season. They’ve conceded from corners, you knew you might get something from them at this point.

“Arm raised. Definite penalty.”

Phillips emphatically shuts down Bielsa murmurings

Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, meanwhile, has dismissed claims of a falling out with Bielsa.

“[It’s a] massive relief, I think we deserved the win, created some good chances in the first half. We got a little bit lucky in the final minutes with the handball. Very happy.

“There is always concern when you are creating chances and not scoring. We started struggling this season so we are happy to get the three points.

“Rapha is a very good player and oozes with class, so I didn’t expect anything else.

“It is a massive win for us, we are very happy and have to try and go on a run of games now – we have a tough run of games before Christmas.”

Asked about his relationship with Bielsa, Phillips added: “I’ll play any position the manager asks me – if he wants me to play centre back I will play centre back, if he wants me to play goalkeeper I’ll play goalkeeper.

“I respect him so much I will never fall out with him.

“I saw a lot of things on social media and TV that me and the manger had fallen out. That’s never been the case and I want to put that to bed.”

READ MORE: Leeds striker search takes them to Real Madrid as ‘battering ram’ becomes target

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