Tuesday 29 December 2015 18:43, UK
It was a weekend of controversial decisions in English football, from Wayne Rooney's tackle on Oscar to Tottenham's winner against Watford.
Should Manchester United captain Rooney have received a red card for his challenge on Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder?
Son-Heung Min scored the decisive goal at Vicarage Road, but should it have been chalked off for offside?
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher joined Rob Wotton in the Sky Sports News HQ studio to look back over some of the weekend's biggest talking points.
INCIDENT: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) tackle on Oscar (Chelsea), yellow card given.
SCENARIO: Rooney and John Obi Mikel battle for possession inside the Chelsea half during the closing stages at Old Trafford. The ball breaks away from both players and Oscar nips in, releasing a first-time pass. However, Oscar is caught high on his calf by Rooney, with the latter's studs showing. Referee Martin Atkinson awards Chelsea a free-kick and brandishes a yellow card to Rooney.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: I think he's lucky. To make a challenge like that, you run a massive risk of a red card. I think the only thing that has saved him is where the referee is stood. If the referee had the view that we've got, he would just pull out a red card. He is nowhere near the ball, he is high, he is dangerous and I think it is serious foul play.
INCIDENT: Willian (Chelsea) handball against Manchester United, no penalty given.
SCENARIO: Chelsea midfielder Mikel heads Ashley Young's cross from the right flank in the direction of his team-mate Willian. He then attempts to control the ball on his thigh, but it bounces up and he appears to handle inside the penalty area. Atkinson does not award a penalty and allows play to continue.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: I think it is handball, but I think the reason why the referee has not given it is because he is isolated. He probably thinks it has come up off his thigh and the game goes on. But I actually think Willian moves his hand towards the ball. I thought it was handball, but nobody appealed or made a big thing of it. That's quite interesting.
INCIDENT: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) tackle on Juan Mata (Manchester United), no penalty given.
SCENARIO: The ball breaks loose inside the Chelsea 18-yard box and Azpilicueta attempts to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Mata possession. Mata appears to get to the ball first and goes to ground after falling over the defender's trailing leg. However, referee Atkinson does not award a penalty.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Right decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: I think this is a really, really tough call. But I think there's a clue here in Ashley Young's reaction. Ashley Young is the nearest player to the incident and he's got the best view. If you watch Young, he points straight to a corner. So, he is convinced that Azpilicueta played the ball. I think that is the clue that helped Martin Atkinson.
INCIDENT: Nathan Ake (Watford) tackle on Erik Lamela (Tottenham), red card given.
SCENARIO: Kieran Trippier takes a throw-in, in the direction of Lamela. The Tottenham winger allows the ball to roll across his body, but as he attempts to turn, Ake makes a high challenge and connects with Lamela's left thigh, studs first. Referee Anthony Taylor awards a free-kick to Tottenham and brandishes a red card for Ake.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Right decision.
GALLAGHER SAY: I think this is a red card all day long. What is interesting is that the challenge from the assistant's point of view doesn't look too bad, but the view that Anthony Taylor got was different and the pictures are quite damning. He has gone in straight-legged, he has gone in high, he is reckless, he is dangerous and it has ticked every box really. I think the referee is absolutely right to send him off.
INCIDENT: Son-Heung Min (Tottenham) goal against Watford, goal given.
SCENARIO: Trippier crosses the ball into the 18-yard box, where Son challenges Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. Son is not flagged for offside, despite appearing to be a yard in front of the Watford defence when Trippier delivered into the penalty area. Play continues and the ball breaks back to Trippier. His second cross is met by Son, who flicks his effort beyond Gomes.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: It was just not picked up by the assistant. The cross comes in and Son is offside, but by the time the ball gets to him he's in an onside position. That is what the assistant has watched, he hasn't watched the start position. It is something we've spoken about all season, most times we see a goal scored like this is because the start position isn't picked up.
INCIDENT: Marko Arnautovic (Stoke) goes down following a challenge from John Stones (Everton), penalty given.
SCENARIO: Arnautovic collects a pass from Ibrahim Afellay on the edge of the 18-yard box. He dribbles towards Stones before attempting to take on the Everton defender. Stones goes to ground, making a tackle in his attempts to deny Arnautovic having a shot at goal. Stones appears to get a touch on the ball, but also brings down Arnautovic. Referee Mark Clattenburg awards Stoke a penalty and shows a yellow card to Stones.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Right decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: He has touched the ball, but I still think it's a penalty. If you get the ball, it doesn't necessarily mean you have not committed a foul. He has gone through Arnautovic and has committed a foul. I think it's a penalty, I concur with the referee and understand why he has given it. It's a fair decision.
INCIDENT: Jonny Evans (West Bromwich Albion) challenges Aleksander Mitrovic (Newcastle) inside the 18-yard box, no penalty given.
SCENARIO: Mitrovic collects Paul Dummett's cross from the left inside the 18-yard box and attempts to get a shot off at goal. But as he attempts to do so, he is held back by Evans and falls to the ground under the defender's challenge. Mitrovic appeals for a penalty, however referee Mike Jones waves play on.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: It was just not picked up. It's a foul, if anybody sees it, it's a foul. He's grabbed him around the waist, I can't defend it. I am not even going to try. He's grabbed him around the waist, he's put him off and made him miss his shot. It's a penalty.
INCIDENT: Gerard Deulofeu (Everton) goes down just outside the 18-yard box following a challenge from Ryan Shawcross (Stoke), booked for simulation.
SCENARIO: Deulofeu collects the ball just inside the Stoke half and dribbles towards goal. As he approaches the Stoke penalty area, he appears to kick the ball too far in front of himself and goes down under the challenge of Shawcross, despite no contact being made. Referee Clattenburg halts play, awards Stoke a free-kick and books Deulofeu for simulation.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Right decision.
GALLAGHER SAY: It's a very good spot. The referee has got a great view, he's worked hard to get into that position and he's got the right decision. It's clearly not a foul.
INCIDENT: Andy Halliday (Rangers) confronts Fraser Fyvie (Hibernian), red card given.
SCENARIO: Halliday lays the ball off to Danny Wilson before being challenged from behind by Fyvie. Halliday, who appears to kick out at Fyvie, takes exception to the Hibernian midfielder's late tackle and confronts him. Halliday bumps his chest into Fyvie, who moves away from the situation clutching his face. Referee Bobby Madden stops play and shows a red card to Halliday.
GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Wrong decision.
GALLAGHER SAYS: I think Fyvie has done him no favours whatsoever. The only certainty about this is that Rangers will appeal this. This is reminiscent of an incident which happened in Scotland in 2009, Kyle Lafferty against Aberdeen. The player has done him absolutely no favours and he should stand up today and say: I was totally out of order.
