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Ref Watch: David Luiz was right to be sent off but Mike Dean got it wrong at Old Trafford, says Dermot Gallagher

Jan Bednarek was unfortunate to be sent off following the wrong award of a late Manchester United penalty, according to former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher

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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher analyses whether the red cards shown to David Luiz and Bernd Leno in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Wolves were the correct decisions

Dermot Gallagher returns with the latest Ref Watch and says the letter of the law was applied in the dismissal of David Luiz during Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Wolves.

Wolves 2-1 Arsenal

Referee Craig Pawson brandishes a red card to David Luiz on Tuesday night
Image: Referee Craig Pawson brandishes a red card to David Luiz on Tuesday night

INCIDENT: Arsenal's Luiz is sent off on the stroke of half-time with referee Craig Pawson deeming the centre-back commits a professional foul as the last defender on Wolves' Willian Jose inside the box. A penalty is awarded.

VERDICT: Correct decision.

DERMOT SAYS: "People are saying, we've looked and looked and we're not sure. The onfield referee's decision was penalty. There is no conclusive evidence to say it wasn't so you have to default back to the onfield decision. Once that is penalty and it's approved - because it can't be proved wrong - night follows day. If he makes a challenge like that and commits a foul, he hasn't made a genuine attempt to play the ball and therefore it has to be a red card.

I can't see evidence that the referee has made a clear and obvious error.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher

"The referee is convinced Luiz touched him and the VAR backs the referee because he can't see that there is no contact. I called penalty last night when I saw it. I can't see evidence that the referee has made a clear and obvious error. That's what the VAR is there to judge, remember. If you watch Craig Pawson, he's going down a good line, he has a good view.

"He gives the penalty, makes his decision promptly, runs it through his head as to whether he thinks there's been a general attempt to play the ball, thinks no, and gives the red card. If he slides in and is deemed to have made a genuine attempt to play the ball, he gets a yellow card because of double jeopardy. Someone said to me, why didn't he take him clean out? Bear in mind if he does that, it'd be a red card for serious foul play."

What do the rules state?

Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.) the offending player must be sent off.

INCIDENT: Bernd Leno is shown a red card in the second half for handling the ball outside his area, preventing Adama Traore from running onto a pass.

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VERDICT: Correct decision.

Bernd Leno leaves the pitch after being sent off
Image: Bernd Leno departs after being sent off at Molineux to reduce Arsenal to nine

DERMOT SAYS: "The good thing here is that the assistant has the best view of the incident. Leno is actually turning away from Craig Pawson, but he does handle it and the assistant flags very early.

"He will have communicated that the forward would have chased after that ball and has a clear opportunity to score. If it had been the full-back it would've been the same. When the goalkeeper leaves his box he is effectively an outfield player. A clear and obvious opportunity to score has been taken away."

Man Utd 9-0 Southampton

Jan Bednarek is one of a number of Premier League representatives
Image: Jan Bednarek was sent off late on during Southampton's 9-0 defeat

INCIDENT: With 10-man Southampton already trailing Manchester United 6-0 at Old Trafford, referee Mike Dean awards the host a penalty after Anthony Martial goes to ground inside the box under a challenge from Jan Bednarek. The Polish centre-back is dismissed by Dean upon VAR review.

VERDICT: Incorrect decision.

DERMOT SAYS: "I didn't think it was a penalty. Bednarek goes to make the challenge but I think he realises, goes to pull out and I think Martial drags his leg into Bednarek. Once the referee gives a penalty it's checked by the VAR and they say it's not a clear and obvious error. VAR felt there should be a sanction and sent Mike to the screen.

"When he looks at it, he sees the goalkeeper hasn't got the ball and therefore under the denial of a goalscoring opportunity [rule], once the penalty has been given and approved, Bednarek, unfortunately, has to receive a red card."

What the managers said

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Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says his side's 9-0 defeat to Manchester United 'hurts even more' than when they lost by the same scoreline to Leicester last season

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "I had a discussion with the referees before the game. I just asked them before the game what they thought about the David Luiz sending off because I don't think he should've been sent off either and Bednarek definitely shouldn't have been sent off.

"I think the law needs to be looked at, but the letter of the law, if you foul someone, deny a goalscoring opportunity and you don't attempt the ball, you've got to be shown a red card. There was contact there, but he shouldn't be sent off. I think everyone in football agrees on this."

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl: "The second red card is most disappointing, we don't have any more players. Jan Bednarek does not kill him but I do not want to speak about the referee. Last week he was our VAR and made his mark in the game.

"In such a moment you think they (the officials) should have a feeling for the situation, that we are punished enough. But if you want to send a mark then do it in this moment, if you think you must settle the game then do it. Anyway, it is not important."

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester United's win against Southampton

INCIDENT: Southampton have a goal disallowed for offside with the score at 4-0 to United during the second half with Che Adams deemed to have been fractionally beyond the last defender upon VAR review.

VERDICT: Let the goal stand.

DERMOT SAYS: "The process was messy. They drew the lines, changed their minds and drew the lines again. It's one of those where if you'd let it go, nobody would have been talking about it."

INCIDENT: Southampton teenager Alex Jankewitz is sent off after just 79 seconds for a foul on Scott McTominay.

VERDICT: Correct decision.

DERMOT SAYS: "It's clearly a red card, I don't really need to answer that - it's a given! The referee deserves credit for getting it right 79 seconds in. You go into every game needing to be switched on from the first whistle, but that's very easy to say. Players tend to play themselves into games like referees do but he deals with the first challenge with authority. He's got a great view, but you've still got to identify what's happened. It's a bad tackle but in fairness to the lad, it's his first full start and he may just have been over-enthusiastic. He'll learn from it, but credit to Mike Dean."

Kilmarnock 0-4 Celtic

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Hear the thoughts of Celtic boss Neil Lennon and Sky Sports' James McFadden and Kris Boyd on a possible Scott Brown 'elbow' during Celtic's win at Kilmarnock

INCIDENT: Kevin Clancy pointed to the spot after Albian Ajeti tumbled to the ground when challenged by Colin Doyle and Odsonne Edouard slotted the spot-kick only just past the Killie 'keeper.

VERDICT: Incorrect decision.

DERMOT SAYS: "I think this incident is similar to the Martial one. The contact, if there is any, is made by Ajeti himself. Doyle stops and goes to pull out. The Celtic striker leaves a trailing leg and that's what the referee sees as a connection but I think if he sees the angles that we've seen, I don't think he'd have given a penalty."

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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher assesses the key decisions in Celtic's 4-0 win at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, including Scott Brown's apparent elbow

INCIDENT: Celtic captain Scott Brown, returning from a two-game suspension, had a coming together with the Kilmarnock midfielder Aaron Tshibola during the victory at Rugby Park. But did the Hoops skipper lead with an elbow?

VERDICT: Yellow card.

DERMOT SAYS: "I don't think it's a red card, but what I would say is that when you do that kind of thing, you're running a massive risk. Once you start raising your arms like that, but it's almost petulant rather than violent. I don't think it's serious foul play, I don't think it's violent conduct so I think a yellow card would've sufficed."

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