Monday 5 October 2015 14:42, UK
Bobby Madley was correct to turn down Radamel Falcao's penalty shout against Southampton, according to former referee Dermot Gallagher.
Madley was at the heart of a weekend of controversial moments in the Premier League, overseeing three penalty calls in Chelsea's 3-1 home defeat to Southampton and not awarding any.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth's Adam Smith did get a spot kick from Michael Oliver against Watford, but was it the right call?
And should Sunderland star Jeremain Lens be looking at a longer ban than he has received for his red card against West Ham?
Gallagher - a Premier League referee for 15 years until 2007 - joined Rob Wotton on Sky Sports Now to look back at six contentious calls.
INCIDENT: Sadio Mane (Southampton) penalty claim against Chelsea
THE SCENARIO: Mane receives a pass on the left flank at the corner of the penalty area 18 yards from the goal line and after taking a couple of touches to control, bursts forward and steps away from Ramires, who sticks a foot out and clearly makes contact. Mane falls theatrically with his arms out and referee Bobby Madley looks like motioning to blow his whistle for a penalty then apparently changes his mind, deciding not to award anything instead.
Shortly after, Mane goes down again in a challenge from Branislav Ivanovic on the edge of the area and although he appears to have been clipped once more, he is instead cautioned for simulation.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: The referee sees him (Mane) go through the air like that and that's why he doesn't give it. He gave himself a little bit of thinking time and chose his decision. It's interesting because the ball goes out for a throw in and the same player is involved again seconds later and is booked. I think that was a little bit harsh but I think the referee is a bit fed up with him by then.
He has just seen two in 30 seconds and the first one is a penalty but he doesn't think that's a foul. Cumulatively, I think he had enough. Bobby saw the swallow dive in the first instance and that has talked him out of (giving) a penalty. With the second one, he probably thinks he (Mane) has left his leg in and he's had enough by then.
INCIDENT: Radamel Falcao (Chelsea) penalty claim against Southampton
THE SCENARIO: Cesc Fabregas threads a through ball to Falcao, who has to get past Jose Fonte before catching sight of goal. He muscles his way beyond the defender but by then the ball is running towards goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. He comes off his line and Falcao touches the ball away from goal before apparently being taken out by Stekelenburg.
TV replays from two other angles show no contact was actually made before Falcao had started falling, although the players would likely have come together had he stayed up. Falcao is cautioned for simulation and no penalty is given.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: When you look at it from the main angle you see, yes, it is a penalty. I watched the game live on Saturday night and thought it was a penalty but looking at it from the other angle, when I saw these pictures I thought it was 100 per cent not a penalty.
What you would say is Falcao has gone down well before any contact was made and the referee has got it right despite seeing it from a different angle to what I saw on TV. You can't beat a man up for getting it right.
INCIDENT: Virgil van Dijk (Southampton) penalty claim against Chelsea
THE SCENARIO: Steven Davis takes an inswinging free kick on the left touchline and as he tries to get on the end of the cross, Van Dijk falls to the ground as goalkeeper Asmir Begovic comes out to collect the ball without anyone challenging him.
TV replays show Ivanovic has a firm grasp of van Dijk's shirt at his right shoulder with his left hand, pulling it halfway up his body and causing the Southampton player to fall. No penalty is awarded.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: The referee doesn't spot this because he watches the ball. If you're talking to a young referee who is just starting out, what you'd say is: "Don't watch the ball because there isn't going to be a foul 20 yards in the air."
If you look at the set-up, there's Ramires, there's Ivanovic and Cahill - they're all tugging away at Southampton players. They've all got a player but when you watch the footage, you see the referee watching John Terry going towards the ball. His focus is not on where the real action happens.
INCIDENT: Jeremain Lens (Sunderland) red card against West Ham
THE SCENARIO: Lens - cautioned earlier in the game in the game for a tackle on Aaron Cresswell on the left touchline - receives a second yellow card for a reckless foul on Winston Reid in the central midfield area. Referee Neil Swarbrick chooses not to issue a straight red card - which carries a three-match suspension rather than one - after the tackle, which sees a scissor action employed instead of a straight lunge.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: The fact Lens went round him rather than through him has probably saved him from a straight red. He has scissored him - there's no doubt about that - but he hasn't gone through the back of him. On another day it could have been a straight red card but what I would say is he did get sent off, albeit the ban is shorter.
INCIDENT: Adam Smith (Bournemouth) penalty award against Watford
THE SCENARIO: Glenn Murray receives the ball in the box and appears to be taken out by Watford's Etienne Capoue but no foul is given and referee Michael Oliver allows play to continue. Capoue gets back to his feet and clips Smith as he runs past him, with Oliver deciding a foul was committed in the second phase of play and awarding a penalty. Murray took the kick but goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes saved it to secure a 1-1 draw for the Vicarage Road team.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: I have to hold my hands up and apologise to this referee because I've sent him a text wishing him good luck in Chile this week and said I didn't think it was a penalty, but it is and Michael was absolutely right. Murray wasn't fouled and Capoue takes the ball from him. On Saturday, I didn't think it was a foul on Smith but it actually is because as he gets in, Capoue takes the back of his heel.
INCIDENT: Lucas (Liverpool) caution against Everton
THE SCENARIO: Lucas and Everton midfielder Ross Barkley go for a ball played forward on the halfway line and after the players come together, the ball moves further upfield. In the process, Lucas tackles Barkley from behind with both feet off the ground but wins the ball with his leading foot, where his studs are to the ground. Referee Martin Atkinson awards a free kick and cautions Lucas, much to the Brazilian's displeasure.
GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: If he had gone straight through him it might have been different. He has leapt but didn't go straight through the back of him. Lucas' trailing leg catches Barkley but only just and his leading leg is low and flat. The studs are down and that's what saves him - if he had gone through the back of him and cleaned him out it would have been a red card, even if he won the ball.
