Ipswich Town’s recent 4-0 defeat to Arsenal was a particularly tough experience for Leif Davis, who received a red card for a tackle on Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka. Upon reflection, Davis acknowledged the severity of the challenge, which he initially deemed worthy of only a yellow card. The incident not only impacted the match but also led to significant social media backlash directed at Davis.
Leif Davis said: “At the time, personally I didn’t think a lot of it. I thought it’d be a yellow card, fair enough. I’ve done that tackle quite a lot of times. I did it in the Newcastle game against [Tino] Livramento at home and won the ball. I did it earlier on against [Martin] Odegaard and [Leandro] Trossard and won the ball. I saw a gap between his legs and thought I could win the ball, but he stepped across. I was disappointed. I apologised straight away to my team-mates at half time for putting them in that situation. Obviously missing the next three games, it felt like I was letting the team down.”
Davis continued: “Things I was getting on social media, messages like that. I just came off social media for a little bit because you’re going to get those kinds of messages from people who’ve probably never kicked a football in their life, saying stuff like that. It wasn’t just about me, it was about family stuff as well, who I’m close with. I’m a real family person. It did hit me quite hard, but that’s when I realised that it’s people who haven’t been in the situation I’ve been in, playing in the biggest league in the world.”
Davis’ three-match suspension came at an unfortunate time, as he missed the opportunity to play against Newcastle United, the club he has supported since childhood. Despite the setback, Davis traveled with the team to support them during his suspension, emphasizing his commitment to the club and his teammates.
Davis added: “It’s football, things happen in football, you can’t control that. Hopefully it’s not the last opportunity I get to play there. Hopefully I get to play there in the future. It’s a team I’ve supported all my life. I’d love to play against them or play for them, anything like that. It was a disappointing one, but that’s football.”
In Davis’ absence, Jacob Greaves stepped up to fill the left-back position, performing admirably against Everton and Brentford. Davis praised Greaves’ defensive capabilities, acknowledging the different strengths each player brings to the team.
Davis remarked: “Greaves, I know his quality. He’s a very good defender. He lacks what Conor and I give going forward, but in this league, the way the games have gone, having him at left-back has been a better option for us. We’re defending a lot of crosses and he’s better than me defensively.”
Looking ahead, Davis is focused on helping Ipswich Town finish the season strongly, including their upcoming match against Leicester City, where they will face Jamie Vardy in his final game for the Foxes.
Davis concluded: “He’s had an incredible career. I think it’s his 500th game? I’d dream of playing 500 games. It’s going to be one where he’s raring to go to score in his last game for Leicester. We’ll have to do everything we can to keep him quiet.”
The upcoming fixture promises to be an intense encounter, with Davis and his teammates determined to make their mark against a formidable opponent.
