Plus: Did Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus deserve a penalty at Southampton? Was VAR right to hand Man City a penalty for a foul on Bernardo Silva against Brighton? And why the referee was right to penalise Scott McTominay for holding on to Armando Broja in Chelsea's draw with Man Utd
Tuesday 25 October 2022 06:12, UK
Dermot Gallagher dissects the big refereeing flashpoints from the weekend's Premier League action.
INCIDENT: Callum Wilson's opener against Tottenham was allowed after the striker collided with Hugo Lloris moments before he scored. VAR checked the incident and agreed with the referee.
VERDICT: Right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: I think it's a good goal. For me, he does nothing wrong, he is there and Hugo Lloris goes into him. I'm not sure where Callum Wilson can go. I think the referee is right to give a goal. I don't think there is enough evidence for the referee to give a foul against Wilson.
Paul Robinson: I think it's soft from the goalkeeper. Hugo dives, the contact wasn't enough to send him to the ground. But if you look at Callum Wilson's arm you see it come round Hugo Lloris. If that is the other way around, if Callum Wilson chests that around Hugo Lloris and Lloris puts his arm around him that's a foul in the other direction.
INCIDENT: Scott McTominay gives away a penalty for holding on to Chelsea's Armando Broja in the box at a corner.
VERDICT: Penalty was the correct call.
DERMOT SAYS: He just holds on to him for too long and doesn't let go. He grabs him and holds on and doesn't let go until he is on the floor. I think the referee has no choice but to give a penalty. There's always going to be physical contact, but the referees are looking for shirts being stretched or how long people are holding on to players.
INCIDENT: Brentford's Kristoffer Ajer gives away a penalty for pulling on Tyrone Mings' shirt in the box.
VERDICT: Right call.
DERMOT SAYS: This is the shirt pulling that I talked about. You can see that he pulls his shirt - this is a great example of what referees are looking for. You can see how far the shirt is from the body. He's done nothing but try and get hold of the player.
INCIDENT: Erling Haaland felt he should have had a penalty after making contact with Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the box, but the referee decided against it.
VERDICT: It should have been a penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: I think this is a penalty. The reason they didn't give it is because it was minimal contact and the ball is running away from him. For me, that goalkeeper is no longer a goalkeeper. As soon as he decides to go with his feet as far as I'm concerned he is a full-back and if a full-back makes that challenge, he would be penalised.
INCIDENT: Bernardo Silva was awarded a penalty after a VAR check after being pushed by Pascal Gross into the leg of Lewis Dunk.
VERDICT: It was a penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: It's raised all kinds of disputes. People questioning if it's a foul by Dunk, if Silva dangled his leg or if Gross has pushed Silva into him and if that was enough of a push to push him into Dunk's leg.
Paul Robinson: I think there are two moments where a penalty could be given. The initial push and then the trip, but you could argue he was pushed into the trip. I think the push was enough for a penalty.
Sue Smith: I do think it was a penalty but I think Silva knows what he's doing. He is initiating contact.
INCIDENT: Gabriel Jesus' calls for a penalty were ignored after being held on to by Southampton's defender Duje Caleta-Car.
VERDICT: Tough call, but the referee was right.
DERMOT SAYS: It's a tough call, I think there is a tangle of legs. It is untidy but it seems a little bit unfair to call it a foul because the Southampton defender does get the ball. People will say he does catch him, he plays for the ball, he is clumsy, but they are both playing for the ball. I'd say I go with the referee.
Sue Smith: I'm a bit torn, he does get the ball but he is caught the wrong side. It could have gone either way. He's got his arms and legs around him and there is a tangle of legs. Once you get in front as an attacker that's when you feel it's a penalty.
Paul Robinson: I think the contact is there. Jesus doesn't help himself by going backwards, if you're going that way and someone trips you up, your legs don't go up in the air. They have a case but he doesn't help himself.
