Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher gives his verdict on the big decisions from the Carabao Cup final and the weekend's Premier League action including Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal, Nicolas Jackson's offside and Moises Caicedo's tackle on Ryan Gravenberch
Monday 26 February 2024 19:11, UK
INCIDENT: In the second half of the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool thought they had scored through Virgil van Dijk.
However, Wataru Endo was deemed offside which prevented Levi Colwill from getting back to mark Van Dijk.
DERMOT SAYS: "I think it was [the right decision]. John Brooks [on VAR] alerted him because none of the match officials would have seen it on the field.
"You see that Endo doesn't look at the ball at all, the sole thing is to block Colwill and he is in an offside position.
"The interesting thing too is Colwill gets pulled by Van Dijk as well so two Liverpool players interfere with him.
"Chris [Kavanagh, the referee] has to go [to the screen] because it's a subjective decision, he sees that and he disallows the goal.
"People are saying it's unusual but it happened in the Premier League this year at Brentford with Kristoffer Ajer against Burnley.
"Endo was Ajer here. It's a good spot from VAR... When you see it, you can see why it's disallowed because he is blocked."
INCIDENT: Chelsea also thought they had taken the lead when Nicolas Jackson played in Raheem Sterling.
Jackson was flagged offside by assistant referee Mark Scholes in the build-up. It was checked by VAR and it turned out to be the right decision by the on-field officials.
DERMOT SAYS: "That's why Mark Scholes has got the appointment because of this kind of performance.
"It's just offside. He lets it flow because that's what he's got to do but when it goes in the net he brings it back for offside."
INCIDENT: Moises Caicedo avoided any punishment for a challenge on Ryan Gravenberch. But was he lucky?
DERMOT SAYS: "I think he was slightly lucky in so much as if Chris had brought it back for a yellow card - he's right to play on because Liverpool have the advantage, and he has no idea that injury [to Gravenberch] has been sustained - but if he goes back and yellow cards [Caicedo], I'd understand that. It would have pacified everybody.
"They checked and didn't think it was a red card."
SUE SMITH SAYS: "I can understand why Jurgen Klopp was unhappy... but I actually think it would be a yellow card rather than a red.
"It was low, he was going for the ball and it just happens that he connected and made Gravenberch's ankle turn."
STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: "It's the fact that a player was stretchered off the pitch and there was no yellow card."
INCIDENT: During Man Utd's loss to Fulham, Harry Maguire received a yellow card for a challenge on Sasa Lukic.
But in Brighton's draw against Everton, Billy Gilmour was sent off for his studs-up challenge on Amadou Onana.
But how much of a difference was there between the two incidents?
DERMOT SAYS: "I think it [Maguire's yellow] was the right decision. We've seen a number of these tackles this weekend and they've got foot on foot.
"If you see that, yellow card, low point of contact. If you're looking for a red card, you want the contact to be higher up."
On the ball having already gone past the players: "You're talking about split seconds. It's a bad first touch and his first reaction is 'I've got to get this back quickly'. He overstretches for the ball and I think Michael [Oliver, the referee] is quite right with a yellow card."
On Billy Gimour's tackle: "This is all about point of contact. He does get the ball but he does follow through and catch him on the shin. Once the referee decides red card, the VAR is never going to overturn it."
INCIDENT: After Wolves' opening goal against Sheffield United, there was a disagreement between Blades team-mates Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza which led to raised hands, but there was no action taken at the time.
DERMOT SAYS: "It's not quite Kieron Dyer vs Lee Bowyer. They're aggressive and angry towards each other, but the VAR looked at it - it's not violent conduct so that's the end of VAR's remit.
"The referee could have easily yellow-carded both of them if he had wanted to."
INCIDENT: Burnley's Josh Brownhill was shown a straight red card after he brought down Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma on the edge of the area.
DERMOT SAYS: "It's actually a great spot from the referee because he's in a position you don't expect him to be.
"He expects Trafford to play the ball forward... but he can see that Brownhill pulls Lerma back.
"Is he clear on goal? Has he got a chance to shoot? I would say yes, the referee says yes so it's a red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity."
WARNOCK SAYS: "This is a referee [Lewis Smith] who hasn't had to deal with VAR for a long time. That's a great thing because he's going on instinct.
"It's a referee who is backing his ability, who is making the call and going with it straight away and that's what we need referees to get back to."
INCIDENT: Crystal Palace were awarded a penalty when Burnley's Vitinho fouled Matheus Franca. There was a VAR check to see if the foul was definitely inside the area.
DERMOT SAYS: "It's on the line. The referee makes such effort to get there to see where it is. The line belongs to the goalkeeper so therefore, it's a penalty."
