Football news - Easy decision, but Bielsa was right to hand Aston Villa an equaliser, says Lampard

ByCarrie Dunn

Updated 30/04/2019 at 08:26 GMT

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa did the right thing when he ordered his team to hand Aston Villa an equaliser - but it was an easy decision to make with both teams already guaranteed a play-off place, says Frank Lampard.

Lampard and Bielsa clashed earlier in the season after the Argentine was accused of spying on the Derby squad - but on this occasion, the Rams boss thinks his sportsmanship was spot-on.

The controversy unfolded after Leeds failed to put the ball out of play so Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia could receive treatment, with Mateusz Klich putting the ball into the net.

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The goal triggered a melee, resulting in Anwar El Ghazi being sent off - and once play resumed, Bielsa ordered his team to allow Villa to score an uncontested equaliser.

Angry scenes between both sets of players, Leeds v Aston Villa

Image credit: Getty Images

"I thought it was the right thing to do, completely right," said Lampard.

"The game did not have anything on it. Thankfully, it was not a game that was absolutely defining for either team. It makes the decision easier to allow them to score the goal."

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