Using the sense of injustice, Radrizzani's message, Pablo problem and capital punishment - Leeds United talking points

Using the sense of injustice

Leeds United's feeling on Sunday morning was summed up in a single tweet from the club's official Twitter account.

The post played back the incident which led to Fulham's opener at Craven Cottage, where Ben White was adjudged to have pushed Bobby Reid to the ground unfairly inside the six-yard box.

Some found the tweet bitter, while others lauded the fact that Leeds were giving something back at a decision that did little to dispel the notion that the Whites get a fair shake.

Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas, Mateusz Klich and chairman Andrea Radrizzani all vented their frustrations in one way or another following the 2-1 defeat.

Replays showed minimal contact before Tim Robinson put Leeds on the back foot by pointing to the spot on seven minutes, and the sense of injustice intensified with each passing watch for the fan base.

The last time Marcelo Bielsa's side felt hard done by was across the capital in late October at Millwall when Gaetano Berardi was handed his marching orders for kicking the air around Tom Bradshaw in the penalty area.

The governing body later agreed and rescinded his ban, but the points were still lost and gone for good.

After United's tweet on Sunday morning another one followed swiftly. This time is was midfielder Kalvin Phillips with a defiant message of being focused on the next game.

The defeat at The Den over two months ago sparked an 11-game unbeaten run for the Whites. A stretch which saw eight wins, three draws and Leeds open up a healthy gap over third in the race for automatic promotion.

In a busy festive period, competitive division and promotion at stake Bielsa's men can't afford to dwell on what has been. The Lions loss poured fuel on the Elland Road fire, and defeat in West London must do much of the same.

Leeds hauled themselves level before losing to a Josh Onomah strike in an even encounter but a decision like that can linger. It's up to the Whites to ensure it doesn't, starting with Preston North End on Boxing Day.

Is London a problem after more capital punishment?

It seems so.

Since beating Fulham in March 2015, Leeds have won just once in 18 trips to the capital. A Kemar Roofe hat-trick inspired that fateful day at Queens Park Rangers, but United's joy in the big smoke has been short lived.

Two of the Whites remaining 23 Championship fixtures will be played out in London over the second half of the campaign. Perhaps more joy can be felt at QPR and Brentford in the coming months.

The Pablo problem

Less than a minute into the clash at Craven Cottage United were dealt a blow with their Spanish playmaker limping out of action during the first attack of the afternoon.

The game at Fulham sparked a run of four games in twelve days, and with three of them remaining the prognosis isn't good for Pablo Hernandez.

Bielsa all but ruled him out of Boxing Day, and with Leeds still waiting on the return of Tyler Roberts and Jamie Shackleton it leaves the Whites with an absence of craft in the middle of the pitch.

Gjanni Alioski stepped off the bench with Stuart Dallas moving into central midfield from left-back.

There was industry in the engine room behind striker Patrick Bamford, but little in the way of the magic that players like Hernandez possess. The Argentine has been left with a gap to plug.

Andrea Radrizzani's defiant message

United's chairman was in attendance in the capital and was frustrated by what he saw as another disappointing decision.

The Italian, though, took to Twitter to send a message to supporters.

Radrizzani tweeted: "Stand up and keep running @LUFC #together. Thank you all fans who travelled today to support the lads.

"Enjoy Christmas and we go again all together on Boxing Day! #leedsleedsleeds"