Manchester City's penalty against United when Rasmus Hojlund was ruled to have held Rodri in the box warranted; Newcastle spot-kick was 'not a penalty'; VAR came to the right conclusion when ruling out Jay Rodriguez's effort; on another day Raheem Sterling could have won Chelsea a penalty
Monday 30 October 2023 18:36, UK
Former referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the latest round of the 2023/24 Premier League season including handball shouts and red-card debates.
INCIDENT: Manchester City were awarded a penalty when Rasmus Hojlund was penalised for holding Rodri in the box during a free-kick.
DERMOT SAYS: "It's difficult to say it's not a foul. People will ask how many we're going to give now if you see this given. Look at that, you can't say it's not a foul. The problem will be is that going to be given week in, week out?
"But it is a foul. It was looked at a long time. Michael Oliver was the VAR and he studied it and took a long time. I heard him say to the referee 'you've got to stop the game now, I'm going to recommend you review it'.
"He thought it was a clear and obvious error because he sent him to the screen. By doing that, the referee then makes the decisions which sit better and are more comfortable."
INCIDENT: In a similar incident later on, Manchester City were not awarded a penalty after Harry Maguire and Erling Haaland tussled in the area.
DERMOT SAYS: "The difference there is Haaland has got him as well to start with. It doesn't end up with him holding him, but they are clashing and end up holding each other. The referee would not have given a penalty there even if he'd seen it. It would have been a foul the other way, I think."
INCIDENT: Manchester United winger Antony was penalised and given a caution for a challenge on Jermey Doku. But should he have been sent off?
DERMOT SAYS: "I think it was a very unwise thing to do. There was no intention of going for the ball. The Manchester City players have done him a massive favour because if he ends up on the floor, everything changes. He's a lucky boy."
INCIDENT: Newcastle were awarded a penalty against Wolves, but Hwang's challenge on Fabian Schar did not appear to be a foul.
DERMOT SAYS: "It's not a penalty for me. I can see why the referee gave it, but you only had to see one replay to know it wasn't a foul. It was looked at so many times. I just can't see a foul."
INCIDENT: Jay Rodriguez's late equaliser for Burnley was ruled out for offside - after more than five minutes of deliberation from VAR.
DERMOT SAYS: "The referee, in only his second Premier League game, had to stand there for five minutes and 20 seconds. He did exceptionally well.
"But it did take an awful long time. The lines were drawn in the wrong place the first time, VAR wasn't happy and had them recalibrated.
"But they did get the right decision. There were only 27 centimetres so that's how tight it was - but it was offside."
INCIDENT: Should Moises Caicedo have been sent off for a full-blooded challenge on Christian Norgaard?
DERMOT SAYS: "I think because of the intensity. He's come a short distance, he hasn't gained the momentum or speed. That's what saved him because it's not a nice tackle."
INCIDENT: Chelsea were not awarded a penalty after Andrey Ruslev fouled Raheem Sterling inside the area.
DERMOT SAYS: "What a risk to take! Why would you do that? Different people have different levels. If we refereed on the same day, we would see things slightly differently and our threshold is different. Another day, another ref and it could have been a penalty."
