VIDEO: Halloween’s come early! Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier left red-faced as HORRIFIC mistake gifts Sunderland last-second equaliser – but team-mates blame dodgy pitch for freak goal

A speculative and poor pass from Alan Browne struck Junior Firpo and appeared to be heading straight into Meslier’s grateful arms, until the ball somehow bounced away from the goalkeeper and into the net. On first watch, it appears the goalkeeper completely misjudges the flight and spin of the ball in a calamitous error. After the goal, Meslier went and picked up an object that he believed sent him the wrong way, meanwhile there is a claim that the ball ricocheted off a divot in the pitch and bounced away from the stricken goalkeeper.

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• WHAT FARKE SAID ABOUT THE GOAL

  Leeds boss Daniel Farke was keen to move on from the dropped points and goalkeeper error, but believes Meslier may have been unlucky. He said: “Normally the goalkeeper takes the ball, clears it and the referee blows the final whistle and the game is won. Pascal Struijk said the ball bounced and jumped completely in the other direction because there was a mark on the pitch. But I cannot tell you if that was the case.”

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  WHAT STRUIJK SAID ABOUT THE GOAL

  The Leeds captain for the night, Pascal Struijk, said: “Of course he [Meslier] is disappointed, he knows that these things happen in football unfortunately. I’ve looked at the pitch there, there is a massive dent there and I have a better chance of winning the lottery than it goes in a hole and then bounces to his right but we all know what a great ‘keeper Illan is.”