Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher reacts to Man Utd vs Leeds Utd sending-off debate involving Andrey Santos

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has dropped his verdict on the controversial incident between Andrey Santos and Gabriel Gudmundsson in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Leeds United.

Gabriel Gudmundsson was booked early in the first half after the 27-year-old Leeds United defender caught midfielder Andrey Santos on his Achilles with his tackle.

Premier League referee Darren England opted not to send Gudmundsson off and instead brandished a yellow card during Sunday’s encounter at Elland Road.

Gudmundsson came flying in with his tackle and his studs made direct contact with the leg of Santos, who immediately tumbled onto the pitch from the challenge.

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Manchester United broke the deadlock against Leeds United on Sunday afternoon after Bryan Mbeumo found the back of the net in the 35th minute. The Red Devils took their 1-0 lead into half-time, but Leeds pulled level only six minutes into the second half after Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, ex-referee Dermot Gallagher admitted that he found it difficult to work out how Darren England came to his decision. However, the 69-year-old explained that there would always be a “risk” that Gabriel Gudmundsson’s challenge on Andrey Santos could receive a red card.

“I can only try and second-guess the referee; it is not a nice tackle, but I can only assume that because he was so close, he has not got the speed and intensity,” he explained.

“It is up there on his Achilles and if you make that challenge, you are going to run the risk of a red card all the time.”

Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd was in the studio with Gallagher and claimed that it would have been “unfortunate” if Gudmundsson was sent off at Elland Road.

“That would be a yellow card,” he said.

“He has not intentionally tried to do that; he is trying to change direction, he is too slow to [do] it to put his foot down and change direction and he has put his foot on the back of his Achilles, but I would not call that a tackle.

“If they had given him a straight red for that, I would say that is unfortunate.”

Following the 1-1 draw against Leeds Utd, the Red Devils will now travel to Italy and will face Serie A side Como in the Champions League. The United vs Como match is slated for 5.45pm UK kick-off time at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on Wednesday.