Monday 30 November 2015 23:07, UK
Dermot Gallagher thinks Wilfried Zaha and Santi Cazorla were both correctly booked for simulation at the weekend.
Former referee Gallagher joined Rob Wotton on Ref Watch on Sky Sports Now to discuss a number of contentious refereeing decisions, including the decision to award Liverpool a penalty in their 1-0 win over Swansea on Sunday and four controversial simulation incidents.
INCIDENT: Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) is booked for simulation after going down under a challenge from Paul Dummett (Newcastle)
SCENARIO: Zaha picks the ball up on the right and takes on Dummett. He shifts the ball to his left and he falls to the ground looking for a foul off the defender, who left his leg in. Jack Colback intercepts the pass and Zaha is shown a yellow card for diving.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Correct decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "He's attempted to deceive the referee and the referee has called it absolutely right. The leg is out but Zaha uses it to his advantage to go over. It's not a foul."
INCIDENT: Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) is booked for simulation after a challenge from Jonny Howson (Norwich)
SCENARIO: Cazorla receives a quick pass in midfield under pressure from Howson and flicks the ball towards Aaron Ramsey. Cazorla hits the deck, claiming he was caught late but the referee books him for diving.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Correct decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "This is quite similar to the Zaha one. Cazorla sees the leg out, the ball runs away and he takes his chance to go down. The good thing about this is that two different referees have both booked players for simulation in two different matches. It shows good consistency."
INCIDENT: Steven Davis (Southampton) blocks a Fernandinho (Man City) header on the goal line
SCENARIO: A corner is whipped in from the right and Fernandinho powers a header at goal. Davis is on the post and moves slightly to his right before sticking his arm out to block the ball away for a corner. No penalty is awarded.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "I thought it was handball. If he gives the penalty, then it also should be a red card as Davis leans into the ball and stops a goal. I understand that the referee's view might have been blocked, so the assistant could have helped him, but from the angle he had, maybe he's not convinced about whether the ball hit his arm or his chest."
INCIDENT: Fernandinho (Man City) blocks a goalbound effort from Graziano Pelle (Southampton) inside the penalty area
SCENARIO: Dusan Tadic bursts through the Manchester City defence but his shot is blocked away. The rebound falls to Pelle, about 12 yards out, and his shot is deflected behind for a corner by Fernandinho's arm.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "He was lucky to get away with this one, but it was a tough call for the referee, who should be given the benefit of the doubt. The ball comes so quickly at Fernandinho from close range. The difference between this one and the Davis incident is that the Southampton man had more time to see his effort."
INCIDENT: Ryan Shawcross (Stoke) is sent off for two yellow card offences against Sunderland
SCENARIO: Shawcross, already on a booking for chopping down Steven Fletcher as he tried to run through on goal, makes a sliding tackle from the side on Duncan Watmore. A foul and yellow card is given.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "Referee Mike Dean got the first booking spot on. When we look at the second one, Shawcross does win the ball but from Dean's position, it looks like he hasn't. The minute that's awarded as a foul, it has to be a second yellow card."
INCIDENT: A penalty is awarded for a handball offence from Neil Taylor (Swansea) from a Jordon Ibe (Swansea) cross
SCENARIO: Ibe gets the ball out of his feet and tries to whip in a cross from the front. Taylor jumps to block the cross and the ball hits his arm and defects away for a corner.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Correct decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "I can't see how you can't give it. His arm is so far out and he's jumped up to the ball."
INCIDENT: Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) goes down under a challenge in the penalty area from Geoff Cameron (Stoke)
SCENARIO: Sunderland play the ball into Fletcher's feet inside the area. His first touch allows Glenn Whelan to come away with the ball but the striker falls to the ground under pressure from Cameron, who had been marking him. No penalty is given and no card is shown to Fletcher.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Correct decision
GALLAGHER SAYS: "Fletcher isn't going to gain a clear advantage by going down. Is he trying to deceive the referee? I don't think so."
INCIDENT: Adam Smith (Bournemouth) goes down under a challenge from Brendan Galloway (Everton) in the penalty area
SCENARIO: Bournemouth are chasing a goal and are throwing men forward. Smith breaks into the box down the right flank and Galloway comes across to deal with danger. Smith falls to the ground but no penalty is given and no card is shown for diving.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Yellow card
GALLAGHER SAYS: "I don't think it's a penalty, but I do think it's a yellow card. In that situation, you have to either give a penalty or a yellow card."
INCIDENT: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) is pushed into the camera pit by Ryan Bennett (Norwich)
SCENARIO: Sanchez fails to reach a long ball and follows the ball out of play. Bennett's momentum takes him off the pitch with Sanchez and the Norwich defender pushes the Arsenal man in the back. Sanchez takes a tumble and falls into the camera pit. No foul or card is show to Bennett.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Yellow card
GALLAGHER SAYS: "Has Bennett been reckless or committed unsporting behavior? If he had got a yellow card he couldn't have complained. It's not the consequence of the action, but what the player has done. It's certainly not violent conduct."
