Former Premier League referee takes aim at QPR man after Leeds United controversy

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett is adamant Leeds United should have been awarded a first half penalty in their home win over Queens Park Rangers.

Hackett, the ex-Professional Game Match Officials Limited chief, believes R's defender Steve Cook was lucky not to be penalising for handball in the 35th minute of the Elland Road clash.

Cook appeared to use his arm to block a ball coming off Mateo Joseph inside the box. “The player has raised his arm and knows exactly what he’s doing," Hackett told MOT Leeds News. “He’s made his body shape bigger and should have been penalised in this instance.”

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Daniel Farke's troops got their promotion bid back on track thanks to goals either side of half-time from Jayden Bogle and substitute Joel Piroe. It was the Whites' fifth straight home win.

"Of course it should have been more convincing but I am just happy with the win and I have to give many compliments to my lads," said Farke. "To deliver such a performance in the third game in seven days and to respond after a loss is never easy to answer in the next game with a win, but that is what we did.

"That was an electrifying first half and we fully deserved to go into the lead although we were a bit wasteful with our chances.

"QPR are struggling a little bit but they are much better than their position in the table. They are always an offensive threat.

"But when you don’t bury the game you have to stay focused and concentrate and that's what we did so I’m very happy with the performance, the win and the clean sheet."