The Championship is one of the best leagues in the world, with Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United and Southampton providing the drama at the top.
All four teams are pushing for automatic promotion, with only five points separating Leeds United in third and the current Championship leaders.
But all of this could have been very different if Sunderland were awarded a stoppage-time penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Leicester on Tuesday night.
Paul Merson was reviewing the action yesterday and he thinks Leeds United and Ipswich Town will be ‘fuming’ at Hamza Choudhury not being punished for his foul on Daniel Ballard, as he told Soccer Special on Sky Sports (06/03/24 at 7:30 pm).
The former Arsenal and Aston Villa player was in no doubt that it was a ‘stonewall penalty’ after the Sunderland defender, when put through, was tugged back by his opponent.
Play was waved on, and moments later, the final whistle was blown to the boos of the home fans inside the Stadium of Light.
Given that the on-field referee didn’t think it was a penalty, Paul Merson then questioned why the Sunderland man wasn’t booked for diving.
Either way, it was described as a ‘massive game-changer’ because, after back-to-back defeats, the Foxes can now breathe a little easy at the top.
Sunderland-Leicester penalty drama
“If you are Ipswich and Leeds, then you would be fuming,” said Merson.
“For me, it’s a stonewall, gets on his back, pulls him back and it’s a penalty. I don’t see it but a penalty.
“This is a massive game-changer. I think the dramatic fall is the one (that doesn’t help Ballard win the penalty). But if he dived, then why don’t you book him?
“It’s a massive one – five points clear, it’s a lot of points. These games do flick away very quickly.”
Race for promotion to the Premier League
Weeks and weeks ago, you would have said that Leicester were running away with this and it was just a matter of time before they won it outright.
But recent dropped points, including that defeat to Leeds, has just left the door open slightly.
In truth, the Foxes will look at this and say they have had their blip, yet they are five clear and now normal service should resume.
Given how well they have performed this season, it should, but this is the Championship and you feel there are still more crazy moments to come.
The post ‘Leeds and Ipswich will be fuming': Paul Merson reacts to ‘massive game-changer' in title race appeared first on HITC.
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