Monday 6 March 2017 14:51, UK
Dermot Gallagher takes an in-depth look at the biggest refereeing decisions of the weekend, and says Zlatan Ibrahimovic's dangerous elbow on Tyrone Mings "ticked all the boxes" for a red card.
After another weekend of contentious decisions, the former referee got stuck into the big calls made by his former colleagues on Sky Sports News HQ on Monday morning.
Here are the best of them...
INCIDENT: Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings appears to purposely stamp on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's head as he's running back to defend his penalty area. The referee didn't see the incident but it will go before an FA panel to see whether Mings will face retrospective action.
DERMOT'S VIEW: The only person that knows if he meant it or not was Tyrone Mings. He will say that he's trying to get out of the way. It will go before the process today. The FA will assign three former referees to have a look at it and it will need to be a unanimous decision for Mings to get a ban.
INCIDENT: From the resulting corner, Ibrahimovic - already on a booking - goes up to challenge for a header with Mings and catches the Cherries defender with an elbow. The referee takes no action.
DERMOT'S VIEW: This one is relatively easier to prove - the eyes don't have to look as he's already looked. There's three things you have to assess for an elbow. An aggressive act would be done with a clenched fist and draw it back with a lot of force, which he has done. It's also the pointed elbow that goes straight into the face. This ticks every box for a red card.
INCIDENT: After Ibrahimovic's incident with Mings, Surman, who has already been booked for a tackle on Luke Shaw, approaches Ibrahimovic and pushes him in the chest. Ibrahimovic falls to the ground and Surman is shown a second yellow card.
DERMOT'S VIEW: As referees what we're asked to do is the instigator has to be punished, which is this case hasn't happened. Unfortunately, Kevin Friend lost a bit of focus. However, there's always a positive and although Friend didn't realise he'd already been booked, one of his team of four officials did.
INCIDENT: A penalty is awarded for a handball by Adam Smith after he blocked away a Paul Pogba cross from close range with his arm.
DERMOT'S VIEW: I think this is a penalty - although I'm in the minority. I think he moves his arm towards the ball - that's the key for me. He has not attempted to do anything but move his arm towards the ball, which is why Kevin has given the penalty.
INCIDENT: Having already been booked for a tackle in the first-half, Arter goes sliding in to challenge Pogba and gets nowhere near the ball. The referee just gives Arter a talking to.
DERMOT'S VIEW: The referee has felt he didn't mean to hurt Pogba and therefore has been given a last chance saloon. As it sat on the day it probably was a wise outcome because with a view on what had gone on before, you'd have to be certain that this was a second yellow to take them down to nine men.
INCIDENT: Attacking a free-kick, Burnley's Sam Vokes handles in the penalty area, but referee Anthony Taylor gives the Clarets a spot kick.
DERMOT'S VIEW: The only good thing about this is that this will advance video technology. I was watching this, and within four seconds I could spin a wheel back and see that Sam Vokes had handled, not a Swansea player. Everyone in that stadium can stream it on their phone and see that he hasn't got that correct, the only person without that luxury is the referee.
INCIDENT: In scoring the winner, Fernando Llorente climbs on Ben Mee before heading home. Burnley appeal for a foul, but nothing is given.
DERMOT'S VIEW: I don't think this is a foul to be honest, it's a physical game. You see goals like this week in, week out. Llorente has gone up high, gone up early and gone for the goal. You see it every week, and they're given.
INCIDENT: Nahki Wells slightly trips Matt Ritchie in the area, before Newcastle score the penalty. Was there enough in it?
DERMOT'S VIEW: I think it's a penalty. If you see from another angle, he just clips him on the heel, enough to take him off balance. It's not much, but it's enough.
