Ola Aina challenge on James Justin earns yellow card as former Premier League strikers agree it was ‘tough’

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina was shown a yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Leeds United’s James Justin as former Premier League strikers Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton agreed it was a strong tackle during Forest’s opening-day defeat.

Forest began the new Premier League season with a 1-0 loss to Leeds United at the City Ground on Saturday, with Anton Stach’s 88th-minute free-kick deciding the match.

Aina, who missed the latter part of last season because of injury, returned to the starting line-up after regaining full fitness. The Nigeria international operated at full-back and used his pace and agility to create problems for Leeds.

However, he was also at the centre of one of the afternoon’s most debated moments in the 18th minute. Aina went into a challenge on Justin and was booked after catching the Leeds defender with a mistimed tackle.

The video assistant referee reviewed the incident, but the former Chelsea academy player was not upgraded to a red card and remained on the pitch after receiving only a yellow.

Aina argued that he had won the ball first, although former Premier League forwards Dublin and Sutton both viewed the challenge as a forceful one.

Speaking on the BBC, Dublin said: “Ola Aina loses control and he lunges into the challenge but it is low.

“It’s a tough challenge but it’s a yellow card and I think that’s about right.”

Sutton, a former Blackburn Rovers player, also highlighted the nature of the tackle and noted Leeds manager Daniel Farke’s reaction.

“Daniel Farke not happy about that, a strong challenge. Ola Aina on James Justin, he’s saying he won the ball but he came off his feet,” he said.

Despite the incident, Aina produced an energetic performance before being withdrawn. He created three chances for team-mates, a joint match-high figure, and completed three dribbles.

No other player from either side surpassed Aina’s total of three completed dribbles or matched his three key passes.

The defender was substituted with 16 minutes remaining, having spent much of the match playing under the pressure of a possible second booking.

Forest were unable to find an equaliser after Stach’s late free-kick, leaving Leeds to claim victory on the opening weekend. For Aina, the match marked his return to Premier League action after his injury absence, but his performance was overshadowed by the first-half challenge on Justin and the disciplinary risk that followed.