Jamie Carragher slams “idiot” Luke Ayling after red card for “disgusting” two-foot lunge

Luke Ayling was sent off following a VAR review for a reckless two-footed challenge on Gabriel Martinelli during Leeds’ away game against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon

Luke Ayling was sent off against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon (

Image: Getty Images)

Jamie Carragher has called Leeds captain Luke Ayling “an idiot” after he was sent off on Sunday for a shocking two-footed tackle on Arsenal youngster Gabriel Martinelli.

The 30-year-old, who started his career with the Gunners, recklessly flew into the challenge at pace and left Martinelli on the floor. The Brazilian’s team-mates were furious with the tackle and a scuffle between the two sets of players unfolded at the Emirates.

Referee Chris Kavanagh booked Ayling for the foul, but VAR asked the official to take another look at the challenge. Kavanagh inevitably changed his mind and gave the Englishman his marching orders. Martinelli was able to continue playing.

“He’s jumped in with two feet, studs showing,” Arsenal legend Alan Smith told Sky Sports. “He was annoyed, I think, that the flag didn’t go up – but that kind of challenge has no place in football these days. I would be surprised if the ref doesn’t change his mind here.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former Leeds defender Stephen Warnock said: “We all get frustrated, we understand your getting outplayed at the Emirates, you haven’t had a kick of the ball. Martinelli is on fire he’s got the run of you.

“But it’s in the corner flag, why make the challenge? Why give the referee the opportunity to send you off? It’s just ridiculous from Luke Ayling… Ayling has let the club down, he’s let his fans down, the team mates down. Imagine what Joe Gelhardt is thinking, third start of the season and he gets dragged off because of a senior player being stupid.

Luke Ayling was punished for his poor challenge on Gabriel Martinelli (

Image:

Reuters)

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“It’s beyond me. We all make mistakes but at this stage of the season when you need a togetherness and you need all your players especially with the injury record that Leeds have got. They need him [Ayling], he’s important to them.”

Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, told Sky Sports: “I love Luke Ayling as a player, but what an idiot. The lack of professionalism for his own teammates and what that could mean going forward. It’s not just down to 10-men. Disgusting tackle, coming in two feet there.

“It reminds me of a tackle Vinnie Jones done a long time ago, I think maybe Danny Stevens. What he thinks was going to happen on the back of that, it was obvious it was going to be a red card. That’s a big plus point for VAR, one of the reasons why we have.

Ayling went into the challenge two-footed (

Image:

Reuters)

“But to do that, put your teammates down to 10-men, you miss the last three games of the season. That might be the last ever game Ayling ever plays in the Premier League.”

The incident happened just before the 30-minute mark, as Leeds were forced to play the next hour with just 10 men. Arsenal had already established a command 2-0 goal lead at the Emirates thanks to an Eddie Nketiah brace inside the opening 10 mins.

Leeds manager Jesse Marsch won’t have been best pleased with Ayling, as his team are embroiled in a tense relegation battle. The West Yorkshire club started Sunday in 17th, just two points above the relegation zone with four games to go.

Martinelli appeared in some discomfort after the tackle (

Image:

Reuters)

Arsenal, meanwhile, will open up a four-point lead over rivals Tottenham in fifth if they can hold on to their lead. Mikel Arteta’s side are on course to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in six years, when Arsene Wenger was in charge.

Ayling never made a professional appearance for the Gunners before he was released in June 2010. The closest he came was in December 2009, when he was an unused substitute in a Champions League group game against Olympiacos.

The defender rebuilt his career at Yeovil Town, helping the minnows win promotion to the Championship in May 2013. He repeated the feat two years later at Bristol City before joining Leeds in the summer of 2016, playing more than 200 games for the club to date.

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