Monday 24 April 2017 16:00, UK
Following another round of Premier League fixtures, Ref Watch returns to debate a number of the weekend's controversial talking points.
Former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher has been in the Sky Sports News HQ studio to give his view on several controversial incidents from the latest round of top-flight games.
Penalties turned down, red cards given and not given, late tackles and simulation all feature in this week's edition....
INCIDENT: Martin Kelly tackles Philippe Coutinho in the box
SCENARIO: The Palace centre-back's challenge catches the Brazilian's ankles, making him stumble, although he opts to stay on his feet and continue his run, before getting a shot off which is blocked
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, penalty
DERMOT SAYS: This dilemma manifested itself a few years ago with Matty [Matt] Jarvis at Arsenal and West Ham when he stopped on his feet and everyone commended him, but he did not get a penalty. And I wonder whether we have to sit down in the summer and have this mindset of: 'Look, that player has in some ways been punished by being honest and trying to stay on his feet.' Because once the block comes, if that was in the middle of the park, you just go back (and award a free-kick). And we have this reluctance to give a penalty and I wonder if we need to sit down and say: 'Well look, in this situation we are going to take this action...'
INCIDENT: Marko Grujic goes in late on James Tomkins
SCENARIO: The Liverpool substitute makes a desperate lunging tackle on the Eagles' central defender, catching him on his ankle as he cleared the ball up field
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, red card
DERMOT SAYS: When you see what the referee sees, it did not deserve more. But when you see it slowed down on TV, it is a red-card tackle. But nobody identified that at the time and that is how difficult it is to be a referee - as when you saw it, he got a yellow card and the game went on, there was nobody looking for the player or arguing with the referee. But when you see it now very close up, it is a totally different tackle.
INCIDENT: Christian Benteke is booked for simulation after going over under a challenge from Dejan Lovren
SCENARIO: The Palace frontman falls over just outside the box with the Reds defender in close proximity, but referee Andre Marriner decides the Belgian has dived looking to win a free-kick
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, no dive
DERMOT SAYS: It was very (harsh), as I was always under the impression that unless a player initiates the contact, that if contact is made, we were not going to yellow card. It was a surprise to me because without doubt there was physical contact and I do not think he initiated it and I think if the game had just run on, then nobody would have said anything.
INCIDENT: Oumar Niasse and Watford forward M'Baye Niang go head to head for the ball
SCENARIO: As the duo compete for a loose ball in the middle of the field, the studs of Hull's on-loan striker appear to catch his opponent on the shin, with referee Bobby Madley issuing a straight red card
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, not a red card
DERMOT SAYS: I did not think it was a red at the time when I saw it live. I have had all weekend to look at this over and over again, and I have seen nothing to think that is a red card. He might have got a little nick on him, but it is not serious foul play, it is just a misread in my view by the referee and I think everybody was surprised the red card came out. I think Bobby Madley was maybe too close and he did not get the panoramic view that we got, and also the player that went down did not help him by screaming out.
INCIDENT: Gaston Ramirez is booked for simulation
SCENARIO: Referee Graham Scott cautions the Boro playmaker for an apparent 'dive' in the penalty area
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, yellow card
DERMOT SAYS: It is almost laughable, but it paved the way for a red card. He paid the ultimate price because that was after 12 or 13 minutes, and six or seven minutes later he has lunged in on a tackle. It is an excellent spot by the referee, his positioning is great, awareness is great, he is in the area, and it is first-class refereeing because it is difficult to detect them - we have just seen that and we see it many, many times. And I also like that he waited for the player to get up before yellow carding him because I think it is quite undignified brandishing a yellow card to a player on the floor.
INCIDENT: Gaston Ramirez is sent off after picking up a second booking following a foul on Marc Pugh
SCENARIO: The Uruguay international is late on the Bournemouth midfielder, although contact with his opponent appeared to be minimal
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, yellow card
DERMOT SAYS: The assistant had the best view and he was two to three yards from it and why would anybody make a tackle like that when they are on a yellow card? And he has only just had a yellow card, there are only six or seven minutes between them. He has lunged at the player and luckily the player has got out of the way because he is going to get hurt.
INCIDENT: Sergio Ramos is sent off after a nasty-looking challenge on Lionel Messi
SCENARIO: Real's skipper is given a straight red card following a wild two-footed tackle on the Argentine
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, red card
DERMOT SAYS: This boy (Ramos) is so out of control and if you give me the luxury of running that again and just seeing how high and out of control this boy is. If this lad (Messi) had not seen him coming and got out of the way, he would not have been scoring that brilliant goal at the end because he would not have been playing anymore.
