Pascal Struijk: Leeds lose appeal against red card for Harvey Elliott tackle

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Pascal Struijk apologised to Harvey Elliott for the tackle early in the second half at Elland Road

Defender Pascal Struijk will serve a three-match ban after Leeds United lost their appeal against his red card during the defeat against Liverpool.

Struijk was dismissed for a challenge on Harvey Elliott that left the Reds midfielder with a dislocated ankle.

Elliott, 18, had surgery on Tuesday but could play again this season.

The Liverpool player disagreed with the upholding of the 22-year-old's ban, calling the decision "wrong" in a reply to an Instagram post.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani went further, describing the decision as "inexplicable".

"Even the unlucky Elliott said clearly it was not a foul," Radrizzani wrote on Twitter.

"It is human to commit a mistake during the game but when we do have VAR and time to evaluate and make a rational decision, that's very hard to accept."

Struijk will miss games against Newcastle United and West Ham United in the Premier League and Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

He will be available again for the league game against Watford at Elland Road on 2 October.

Struijk had earlier apologised to the teenager for the challenge on social media, saying he was "gutted" and "never meant for it to happen".

Elliott replied to a previous Instagram post to say the centre-back had nothing to apologise for, describing the incident as a "freak accident".

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport