Thursday 13 August 2015 10:36, UK
Michael Oliver made a "first-class" decision to dismiss Thibaut Courtois and award Swansea a penalty after the Chelsea goalkeeper brought down Bafetimbi Gomis in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, says Dermot Gallagher.
Gallagher joined Adam Leventhal on Sky Sports Now to reflect on the major talking points from an action-packed weekend of league football.
The former Premier League referee ran the rule over the Courtois incident, Cameron Jerome's disallowed goal for Norwich against Crystal Palace, Marc Albrighton's strike for Leicester against Sunderland, Watford striker Troy Deeney's tackle at Everton and a bizarre sequence of events at the end of Doncaster's game with Bury in League One.
Red card: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) v Swansea
SCENARIO: Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis beat Gary Cahill for pace when he latched on to a through ball from Jonjo Shelvey after being played onside by Willian. Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois raced off his line to try and make the clearance, but he brought Gomis down on the edge of his penalty area.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Courtois sent off by Michael Oliver and Swansea awarded penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: Not only is it a good decision, but it is excellent refereeing from start to finish. The overall package was absolutely complete and any young referee could learn so much from it. The penalty area line belongs to the goalkeeper; therefore it has to be a penalty. I think the fact the goalkeeper stopped Gomis is the crucial thing - he would have gone past him, he would have rolled (the ball) into an empty net. I think it was a complete package between the two - (assistant referee) Harry Lennard showed that a) it wasn't offside and b) that it was inside the penalty area, which Michael couldn't have seen from his position. The teamwork was first class.
Disallowed goal: Cameron Jerome (Norwich) v Crystal Palace
SCENARIO: A free-kick from the left side is swung into the area and Norwich striker Cameron Jerome reacts to the second ball with an acrobatic overhead kick which flies into the top right-hand corner of the net.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Goal disallowed by Simon Hooper for dangerous play.
DERMOT SAYS: I know why he's disallowed it. He's disallowed it because he thinks it is dangerous play. I think he's wrong. For me, Cameron Jerome has quite clearly gone for the ball, his eyes are on the ball, he's very skilfully played the ball. Joel Ward has come for the ball and he has actually put his head in behind him. It's a great bit of skill and the other giveaway for me is that Joel Ward just gets up and plays on. He doesn't see it as a foul. For me, it is an incorrect decision.
Goal: Marc Albrighton (Leicester) v Sunderland
SCENARIO: Younes Kaboul miscues a clearance from a Jeff Schlupp shot, allowing Marc Albrighton, who had come back from an offside position, to steal the ball before turning and firing past goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Mike Jones allows the goal to stand.
DERMOT SAYS: He (Albrighton) is an offside position and what I have to point out is being in that position is not an offence. He has to clearly impact on the opponent, Kaboul, but he doesn't because Kaboul is in front of him. Kaboul can't see him, everybody expects him to control that ball but for whatever reason, he doesn't. Now what you would say is that, at the point that Kaboul lost possession of the ball, it becomes second phase... Albrighton has regained an onside position, so he is entitled to play the ball. The phase started when Kaboul mis-controlled the ball. He stopped the ball and he lost possession of it by which stage Albrighton has returned to an onside position. He hadn't affected Kaboul at that stage so he was allowed to continue. Between the referees, they got it absolutely right.
Two-footed tackle: Troy Deeney (Watford) v Everton
SCENARIO: Ikechi Anya burst down the right flank and cuts the ball back for Troy Deeney. The Watford skipper mis-controls, allowing Brendan Galloway to step in and make the clearance. In an attempt to play the ball, Deeney connects with Galloway.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Mike Jones awards a free-kick to Everton and gives Deeney a yellow card.
DERMOT SAYS: I think he (Deeney) is a little bit fortunate but there are a few things in his favour. When he made the challenge, his left foot is planted and the right foot which he makes the tackle with is actually very low so it's not one that can be considered to endanger the safety of an opponent. It's not a nice challenge but I don't think it was enough to warrant a red card. I would say he wasn't far away, but I think the referee has called it right.
Stoppage time goals: Doncaster v Bury
SCENARIO: Bury put the ball out to allow an injured player to receive treatment in stoppage time. Doncaster's Harry Forrester inadvertently scored when he attempted to give the ball back to Bury, prompting boss Paul Dickov to instruct his players to allow Leon Clarke to run clear and put the ball into an empty net.
REFEREE’S DECISION: Referee Eddie Ilderton allowed both goals to stand.
DERMOT SAYS: Eddie is powerless to do anything. They all wanted the throw retaken. The throw was taken correctly but what was brilliant is that (Doncaster boss) Paul Dickov has managed to manufacture this (allowing Leon Clarke to put the ball into an empty net) and I think the morals of the game have been shown to be first-class here. They could have walked away with three points, which wouldn't have looked good but they went back to square one. The referee wasn't in a position to do that; the referee can only give the goal.
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