Ex-Leeds United boss says goalkeeper 'sulked' after being dropped as Daniel Farke faces selection crisis

Meslier was taken out of the firing line for Leeds' final four games of the 2022/23 Premier League season as Allardyce was drafted into the managerial hotseat in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the club's top flight status.

Allardyce did not win any of his four games in charge, drawing against Newcastle United, but was beaten by Manchester City, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur as the Whites fell through the Premier League trap-door.

In light of recent goalkeeping errors, for which Meslier has come under increased scrutiny from the terraces, Allardyce has weighed in with his own experience and opinion of the 25-year-old.

Speaking on the 'No Tippy Tappy Football' podcast, Allardyce said of the decision to replace Meslier with Joel Robles two seasons ago: “I dropped him straight away. I’d watched the previous games before I came in, and the staff were telling me that he was a great goalkeeper, but he was having a crisis. We all know the two most important people are your goalscorer and your goalkeeper, so he went out of the team straight away.

“He didn’t take it well, a bit of sulking and so on, but it had to be done because it was harming him, it was going to make him worse leaving him in, even though he was going to be disappointed being left out as he had quite a big reputation by then.

“It needs to be done, it’s a hard decision as well choosing goalkeepers. What you worry about with other keepers sat on the bench for so long, is that they can’t be as good as they are. It doesn’t matter how much training they do."

Current Leeds boss Daniel Farke faces something of a selection crisis ahead of this weekend's meeting with Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Supporters have called for Leeds' first-choice goalkeeper to be dropped from the starting lineup and replaced by experienced Wales international Karl Darlow instead.

Farke said in the wake of Meslier's display against Swansea City last weekend, in which he dropped the ball at Harry Darling's feet to allow the Swans defender an equaliser on a plate, that it was not the appropriate time to discuss the Frenchman's place in the team.

He will be quizzed on Meslier's suitability for the No. 1 jersey again on Thursday afternoon as Leeds host their pre-Luton press conference at the training ground.

Quotes via Footy Accumulators.