Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic escapes red card after shocking elbow on Leeds’ Ben White

Aleksandar Mitrovic took the concept of ‘letting them know you’re there’ a step too far against Leeds, with the Fulham striker lucky not to be sent off after just two minutes.   

The Elland Road side moved top of the Championship with a 3-0 victory on Saturday, with Neeskens Kebano dismissed in injury time for the West Londoners.

However, they should have finished the game with nine men, after Mitrovic came steaming into defender Ben White with an elbow after the Englishman had hoofed the ball up-field. 

Alexander Mitrovic was lucky to escape a red card after just two minutes on Saturday 

The striker elbowed Leeds’ Ben White off the ball during Fulham’s 3-0 loss at Elland Road

The incident came just two minutes into the game but the referee failed to spot it 

The off-the-ball challenge wasn’t spotted by referee Tony Harrington and despite White sinking to the floor and clutching his face, the challenge went unpunished. 

The former Newcastle forward is tied at the head of the Championship’s scoring charts with Ollie Watkins on 23 goals, but Mitrovic could fall behind with a ban expected for the Serb. 

Commentating on the game for Sky Sports, Andy Hinchcliffe said: ‘ That is really naughty, that really is a red card offence from Mitrovic.

The striker stayed on the pitch but couldn’t stop a rampant Leeds as they stormed to victory

‘It’s completely unnecessary, he knows what he’s doing. He’s put an elbow in the face of Ben White and he is very fortunate to still be on the pitch.  

‘You talk about aggression, of course you need it in the right areas but that’s not aggression, that’s just surely stupidity, leaving an elbow in a centre-half’s face.

‘It’s unnecessary, it’s intentional as well for me.’    

Despite being able to see out the game, Mitrovic could do little as Patrick Bamford, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison scored to hand Leeds a three-point lead after 39 games, with Fulham’s automatic promotion hopes fading fast.