(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)
Leeds United have denied claims made by Port Vale boss Michael Brown that Samu Saiz spat at one of his players during last night's EFL Cup fixture at Elland Road.
Speaking after the game, which Leeds won 4-1 with Saiz scoring a brilliant hat-trick, Brown said the Spanish midfielder spat at full-back Joe Davis shortly before half-time.
The 40-year-old manager, who spent three years at Leeds as a player, told Radio Stoke: “I think the boys lost focus a little bit. The guy who scored three goals [Saiz] spits in Joe Davis' face in the 40th minute and it's very hard to take.
“That certainly knocked us off balance. We asked their staff to take him off, they ignored that and he scored three goals.
“That is why it was getting a bit heated down in the technical area.”
After Saiz opened the scoring, Leeds were pegged back by the Valiants when Michael Tonge fired home, but the Championship side dominated proceedings in the second half with Saiz completing his hat-trick and Caleb Ekuban notching the fourth.
Leeds believe their new signing to be innocent, and said in a statement: “Our player denies the allegation and we are confident that the referee's report will vindicate him.”
They added: “We are also disappointed by the treatment of our players throughout the match.”
