Dermot Gallagher also looks at Aston Villa's penalty and Alfredo Morelos' red card
Monday 16 December 2019 16:14, UK
Dermot Gallagher returns with Ref Watch, and says decisions made by VAR for Bournemouth, Everton and Liverpool were all correct. Read on to see why plus more from the weekend's action...
INCIDENT: As a corner was delivered for Everton's opening goal, Dominic Calvert-Lewin caught David de Dea in the face with an arm. Both missed the ball, which landed to Victor Lindelof at the back post and he inadvertently put it into his own net. VAR reviewed the goal for a foul but it was eventually given.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
DERMOT SAYS: "I honestly don't think it's a foul. When you watch it, De Gea comes out and flaps at the ball. They [De Gea and Calvert-Lewin] are both in the air and Calvert-Lewin does have an arm across him, but the ball is gone. There's going to be inevitable contact at this point.
"I think the contact has happened afterwards. He's come out and flapped at the ball for whatever reason, they're both in the air and there is going to be a collision, there's no doubt about that, but I think it happens after the ball has gone past him."
INCIDENT: Bournemouth scored in the 84th minute against Chelsea with Dan Gosling looping the ball into the net. The linesman initially flagged for offside, but a VAR check showed Gosling came from an onside position. There were also questions over infringement from Philip Billing on Kepa Arrizabalaga in the build-up, but this was also not given.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
DERMOT SAYS: "Yes it should have stood and I don't think the assistant should flag, that would have saved a lot of hassle, but VAR has looked at it. What is really clever is, when the assistant flags, the referee delays the whistle and that is the key issue there because if he blows, it's not a goal.
"But when they go to VAR, it shows quite clearly that Billing is moving back out of play and away from the goalkeeper. He doesn't take part in any of the move and he moves away back up the field, which he is entitled to do with how the law is configured. Gosling starts in an onside position, comes onto the ball and scores.
"Billing doesn't move towards the ball or challenge an opponent and there are three parts to it - does he challenge for the ball? No. Does he challenge an opponent? No. Is he in the direct line of vision with the goalkeeper? No. They're the three points the assistant and the VAR is meant to look at and it didn't qualify in any."
INCIDENT: Sadio Mane had the ball in the back of the net in the 50th minute as he headed home from a Xherdan Shaqiri cross, but after a VAR review, it was ruled out for the tightest of offside calls.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision
DERMOT SAYS: "How tight was this? When I saw this on Saturday, I thought Craig Cathcart at the back was keeping him onside with his foot. But when they drew the 3D lines across, he was just offside. It's incredible."
INCIDENT: Aston Villa were awarded a penalty when Matt Targett's cross hit the hand of John Egan inside the area. Jack Grealish stepped up to take it, but it hit the crossbar, with a potential infringement from John Lundstrum into the 'D' not deemed enough to retake the penalty.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decisions.
DERMOT SAYS: "I think this is a good call by VAR because although the ball flies up off the ground, the distance it comes is so far and his arm is completely out. The referee can't see it because of how the build-up comes but when you see it sideways on as VAR did, you have to give handball. I think everybody watching that would expect a penalty.
"The thinking of the Lundstrum incident is that the only player he impacted on was Grealish and because of how the law is set up, the only player who couldn't play the ball for Aston Villa was Grealish. So although Lundstrum cleared the ball, he didn't clear it from an Aston Villa player who could kick it in the net."
INCIDENT: In the first half, Norwich were waiting to receive the ball back from Leicester after a stoppage, but instead, Kelechi Iheanacho drove towards the top of the area and drew a foul from Christoph Zimmerman. The Leicester striker was surrounded by angry Norwich players as he lay on the floor, with Ben Godfrey escaping a red card for his role in the incident.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Referee powerless to stop Iheanacho.
DERMOT SAYS: "The referee actually becomes the victim in this situation in so much that Norwich have put the ball out so the player can be treated. But when the ball is thrown back to Iheanacho, everyone expected him to go back to Norwich but he ran at the defence. He is bought down, it's a foul but it provoked what we saw afterwards. The referee can do nothing about it, he's powerless."
INCIDENT: Shortly after scoring for Rangers in the 69th minute, Alfredo Morelos was shown a second yellow card and sent off after gesturing towards the Motherwell supporters during his celebration. There have been criticisms of other similar incidents in the Scottish league that have not had the same outcome.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision.
DERMOT SAYS: "I can't argue that there's no consistency, but when Morelos did what he did, it was so blatant - everyone saw it - and it was deemed to be provoking the crowd, it falls into the yellow card situation and he already had one so he was sent off unfortunately for him."
