Football

Michael O’Neill suggests Leeds’ Stuart Dallas to blame for ‘sickening’ defeat

The Leeds United star was largely at fault for Northern Ireland’s defeat.

Leeds United's Stuart Dallas gets away from Nottingham Forest's Jack Robinson at Elland Road on October 27, 2018 in Leeds, England.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has appeared to criticise Leeds United’s Stuart Dallas for tonight’s ‘very sickening’ defeat by Austria.

Valentino Lazaro curled home a superb 93rd-minute winner at Windsor Park.

The hosts looked set for their first point in four UEFA Nations League games so far, but the Leeds star, who was given a left-back role, cheaply lost possession and the visitors punished him with a swift counter-attack.

And O’Neill suggested that the 27-year-old was largely to blame for the result.

He told Belfast Live: “We got punished at the end. Stuart could have put the ball out of play and the game was over.

“It was a fantastic finish that separates the teams. It is very sickening to lose the game like that.”

Some fans might note that Dallas was asked to play in an unfamiliar position, but in truth the error was just a lapse in judgement rather than anything related to his defensive abilities.

Plus, the former Brentford star has been playing right-back for Leeds in recent weeks due to injuries to Luke Ayling and Gaetano Berardi, so that excuse probably isn’t valid.

His attitude has always been second to none, however, so Dallas himself will more than likely own up to the mistake and put it behind him.

He’ll be back playing full-back on Saturday when the promotion-chasing Whites host Bristol City at Elland Road.

Miralem Pjanic (10) of Bosnia and Herzegovina vies for the ball against Stuart Dallas (14) of Northern Ireland during the UEFA Nations League Group 3 of League B soccer match between...

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