Illan Meslier criticised by pundit following Leeds United flashpoint | OneFootball

Since relegation from the Premier League, Leeds United have found themselves right in the thick of the Championship promotion race but as we enter 2024, the Whites' form has hit a small blip.

Prior to Christmas Day, the emphasis was on the Whites closing the gap on Ipswich Town, which they began to do after blowing away Kieran McKenna's side at Elland Road by four goals to nil on December 23rd.

However, since then, whilst the Tractor Boys have continued their own winless run to four, Southampton have since leapfrogged Daniel Farke's side and built a six-point gap between the two promotion hopefuls as a result of two sets of contrasting results in the year's closing outings.

Illan Meslier flashpoint in the first of two successive Leeds United defeats

Prior to the Boxing Day encounter, French goalkeeper Illan Meslier had so often been a key influence in cagey affairs for Leeds this season, with his crucial save in the 1-0 victory at leaders Leicester City a prime example of his ability and reliability.

However, less of that was on show at Deepdale in the Boxing Day early kick-off, as with the score still deadlocked at 0-0 early in the second half, Meslier was involved in an altercation with Preston North End's Montenegrin forward Milutin Osmajic, before taking a right-handed swipe at the 24-year-old before subsequently being shown a red card by Joshua Smith.

After the crucial decision, Leeds would concede three minutes later as Alan Browne gave the hosts the lead, and despite Pascal Struijk's equaliser from the penalty spot, the ten men's hard work was all undone by a sublime Liam Millar strike two minutes from the 90-minute mark.

Alan Hutton issues brutal verdict on Illan Meslier's antics

Subsequently, Meslier was handed a three-match ban, which began in Friday night's 1-0 defeat to fellow promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion, currently led by former Whites assistant Carlos Corberan.

The decision has been met with the likes of former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher issuing no sympathy towards the 23-year-old.

Alan Hutton, who featured 119 times in the Championship for Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest shared the same opinion as Gallagher, as he exclusively revealed to Football Insider.

"It depends on the manager but for doing something so silly he could get fined two weeks’ wages from the club," Hutton began.

The Scot then went on to state that Meslier's antics were the difference in how the following 35 minutes panned out, as key forward Joel Piroe was sacrificed in place of substitute keeper Karl Darlow.

"Preston went on and scored a couple of minutes after Meslier got sent off, so he’s effectively cost his team those three points." He continued.

"He lost his head completely for a minute and he cost his team," The Scot concluded.

As previously mentioned, Leeds began temporary life without Meslier between the sticks in a 1-0 defeat at The Hawthorns, where Grady Diangana's 24th-minute strike proved to be the difference.

Despite creating 15 openings, only one tested Alex Palmer across the 90 minutes, which Farke highlighted in his post-match synopsis.

"The ruthlessness in the opponents' box was missing and we allowed them to score one of their two chances in the first half to go and lead, and once this side leads it is difficult to create against them," he told the BBC.

Karl Darlow will most likely continue to deputise for the Frenchman heading into the first game of 2024, which many will see Leeds favourites in as they host 20th place Birmingham City, with Wayne Rooney's side still struggling to forge any identity under the Manchester United legend.

They must target three points against the Blues, as they are at risk of being caught by West Brom should the Baggies claim three points against Swansea City, as well as falling further away from the top three at such a crucial period.

Getting back to winning ways has to be the aim - and the Whites' focus has to be on the short term despite their obvious promotion ambitions.