Plus, should VAR be used in all FA Cup ties?
Monday 18 March 2019 17:29, UK
There was plenty for Dermot Gallagher to get stuck into from the weekend's Premier League and FA Cup games, with goal celebrations, controversy involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and red cards and penalties all on the agenda.
Read on to see what the former top-flight referee had to say on just a few of the big decisions from the last few days' action...
INCIDENT: James Maddison is booked after scoring and then taking off his shirt to reveal a message for Sophie Taylor, the five-year-old girl he supported throughout her battle with cancer.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: There are no winners in this situation.
DERMOT SAYS: It is for all kinds of reasons that that rule was brought in. What I would say is that there are no winners in this situation because Michael Oliver is duty bound to yellow card him. What I did think was really nice was you could see Michael, who has to apply the law, he might not like it, but he did take time to explain that to Maddison. And total respect to Maddison, who has come out publicly to say he is only doing his job.
INCIDENT: Harry Maguire is shown a straight red after a last-man foul on Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, sending-off.
DERMOT SAYS: The only decision to make here is, is it a foul? That is the only call you have to make and I think it is a foul. And on that basis, he [Michael Oliver] has got to send him off. It is unfortunate, but that is the law. He has a clear run on goal and he clips his heels and there is no doubt it is a foul.
INCIDENT: Sergio Aguero's scores a late winner against Swansea in the FA Cup despite being offside, but there was no VAR in use because FA rules this season state it is only used at games being held at Premier League stadiums.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: It was still a level playing field at the Liberty Stadium.
DERMOT SAYS: There are two issues. One, if you have that facility to use in Premier League grounds, they did and why would you not use something you have got. And secondly, the two grounds that did not use it, it is still a level playing field for the teams. It is not as if it is a league competition. It is a cup competition, so for the two sides on that day, it was still a level playing field and it was for Swansea and Man City. It was unfortunate how the decisions panned out, but nobody was to know that when they kicked off.
INCIDENT: Marcos Alonso trips Richarlison in the area.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: He stands on his foot, takes him down and Anthony Taylor has a brilliant position. When you see it at normal speed, it is easier to tell it is a penalty.
INCIDENT: Sergio Rico drops the ball and then pulls down Sadio Mane.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: He has panicked and just pulled him down. The referee [Craig Pawson] has no choice but to give a penalty. If he had thought it through, Mane would not have got to the ball though. Once you wrap your arms around a player, you are duty bound to give a foul.
INCIDENT: Kiko Casilla is shown a red card in stoppage time for a professional foul on Billy Sharp.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision, sending-off.
DERMOT SAYS: If you watch where the foul occurs, the full back would not have got across to prevent a goal, it is an obvious goalscoring opportunity that is being denied. So it would always be a red card as once Sharp is by the 'keeper, he can just roll the ball into an empty net.