Ref Watch: Wilfried Zaha deserved booking for simulation, says Dermot Gallagher
Wednesday 28 December 2016 00:02, UK
Ref Watch is back to debate another selection of controversial decisions from some of the Boxing Day Premier League matches.
Former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher has been in the Sky Sports News HQ studio to analyse a number of contentious calls.
From more bookings for simulation, red cards being avoided, contentious penalty calls to mascot mayhem, we have it all covered in this week's edition.
Watford 1-1 Crystal Palace
INCIDENT: Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha goes down under challenge from Watford's Miguel Britos in the penalty area.
SCENARIO: Referee Mark Clattenburg judged that Zaha had in fact dived, and promptly brandished the yellow card. After the match, the Watford mascot mocked Zaha, diving next him as he left the pitch, which angered the Palace winger and Sam Allardyce.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision
DERMOT SAYS: I don't think it is a penalty. I don't even think it is in the penalty area to be honest. Zaha moves into the player, and Mark [Clattenburg] has seen that and yellow carded him for that. Britos is doing his best to avoid contact, and that is what Mark has seen, it is Zaha who has initiated the contact and it is not a foul.
It is up to the FA to speak to the club and let them know what they should do about the (mascot) incident. Zaha will argue that he is trying to incite him, but it is good that his colleagues have laughed it off. It is Christmas isn't it? A time of fun, and maybe it is time to just calm down and accept it was a bit of fun.
Watford 1-1 Crystal Palace
INCIDENT: Watford were awarded a penalty of their own with 20 minutes remaining when Sebastian Prodl was bundled to the floor by Damien Delaney.
SCENARIO: Much has been made of penalty decisions given for grappling in the box, and the Palace players feel the decision by Clattenburg to point to the spot was unjust.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision
DERMOT SAYS: More players are being pulled up for it now. Week after week, last season, we were saying that this was a penalty. Now, we have to credit the referees. You ask for this, and now they are doing it - giving penalties for these incidents.
When you watch this incident, there is a lot of physical contact, but the referee has picked out the right occasion to pick out the penalty incident. Without doubt he has pushed him over and stopped his opponent winning the ball.
Burnley 1-0 Middlesbrough
INCIDENT: Middlesbrough defender Fabio is only given a yellow card by referee Craig Pawson for a foul on Steven Defour as he countered at pace
SCENARIO: The former Manchester United full-back seemed to recklessly fling a leg at Defour as he broke clear, which incensed Burnley players.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Incorrect decision
DERMOT SAYS: No, red card. Fabio is nowhere near the ball, high, with his studs. It is the wrong side for the referee. I cannot say anything else other than a red card. I cannot defend it. The referee is the wrong side, and must not see it.
Manchester United 3-1 Sunderland
INCIDENT: Zlatan Ibrahimovic goes down holding his leg under a challenge in the box
SCENARIO: The Swede went down very quickly, looking for a penalty to be given, but the referee was having none of it, and waved play on. There was no punishment for Ibrahimovic for simulation.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision
DERMOT SAYS: What I would say is that it is definitely not a penalty. No way, in a million years, could that amount of contact put a guy who is as physically strong as Ibrahimovic down.
Chelsea 3-1 Bournemouth
INCIDENT: Simon Francis gets a shot away at goal, but referee Mike Jones pulls the play back for an earlier foul on Jack Wilshere.
SCENARIO: Gary Cahill, who fouled Wilshere, is perplexed that the referee pulled the play back, as the Cherries seemed to have the advantage due to the fact Francis was allowed to get the shot in.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Incorrect decision
DERMOT SAYS: This is difficult. I didn't think it was a foul actually, but the referee thinks so, he clearly signals to play on for advantage, and then has the option to see how long the move goes on and how long they have in possession.
One thing I always say is it is advantage if the player has possession of the ball under control, and somewhere to go.
In this incident, Simon Francis gets a shot away, which doesn't help him [the referee]. It looks as though the same team [Chelsea] has been penalised twice.
Manchester United 3-1 Sunderland
INCIDENT: Juan Mata looks to break free on goal from Antonio Valencia's fine ball. He gets a slight nudge from Lamine Kone, but referee Martin Atkinson doesn't think there's enough in it to give a penalty.
SCENARIO: The contact appears to be more of a collision than a foul, despite Jose Mourinho looking angry on the United bench.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision
DERMOT SAYS: I do not think it is a penalty. It is more a coming together than anything else. A lot of defenders would fall foul of the same think. It is a coming together, rather than a foul.
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