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Ref Watch: Was Casemiro unlucky to see red for Man Utd vs Crystal Palace | Should Jordan Ayew have been sent off?

Should Casemiro have been sent off for Man Utd against Crystal Palace? Did Jordan Ayew also deserve a red card? Were Bournemouth unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in their loss at Brighton? Dermot Gallagher has his say in the latest Ref Watch...

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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher analyses Manchester United midfielder Caemiro's straight red card after a heated confrontation against Crystal Palace

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the weekend's action, including Manchester United midfielder Casemiro's straight red card against Crystal Palace.

Man Utd 2-1 Crystal Palace

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Should there have been more red cards in the Manchester United-Crystal Palace melee that saw Casemiro sent off?

INCIDENT: After a lengthy VAR check, Casemiro was sent off following a melee between both sets of players with the Manchester United midfielder placing both hands around the neck of Crystal Palace's Will Hughes.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think Casemiro should be sent off."

DERMOT SAYS: "It's the worst nightmare for a referee, there is so much going on isn't there? It's impossible to police [it] yourself. I think what you have to do is keep an eye on what you can see and tell your assistants to take notice.

"If you watch Scott Ledger (the assistant referee), he's trying to control players, he then goes round the back to get a better view of something else.

"Casemiro is actually behind his back (at this point) that's the problem there is just so much going on. I think the VAR picked up Casemiro and people are asking why Ayew wasn't picked up. I think there is only so much they can pick up at the time.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Manchester United's win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League

"I think Casemiro is a red card. The reason I say that is because you can't condone a player putting both hands around somebody's throat.

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"I think the VAR has looked at it and recommended that it is a red card. There are other things going on - is somebody a peacemaker or an aggressor? I think the FA will look at that today and it s up to them to see if they have to process anything else.

"People say it looks different from one angle to another. Sue (Smith) and I were talking before the programme about the (Joao) Cancelo incident last year and I felt the problem was that they focused on one angle which wasn't conclusive rather than an angle that was conclusive.

"I think it's the same here. I don't need to focus on an angle that is not conclusive because I have got an angle that I think is conclusive.

"When I see a player with two hands around a player's throat, I can't condone that and say that is not a red card offence because if I do then what I am doing is giving a player a licence week after week after week to think that this is acceptable. I don't think this is acceptable.

"I think the angle that Andre (Marriner, the referee) was shown is conclusive. I think that is a red card. I think that this one will roll on this morning - it was impossible for the two of them there to police that."

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Casemiro was sent off after a VAR review spotted him putting both hands around the neck of Crystal Palace's Will Hughes

Sue Smith: "I wasn't sure about this one and I think I looked at two things. I look at Will Hughes' reaction and he was like 'get off' - it wasn't like he thought someone had two hands around his throat.

"And then I looked at the other angle where it looks like he has just got him around the shirt, but I think when you slow something down, which they did and showed that angle and stop it on that angle, it looks awful.

"I think if you are a referee going over to that, you are going to think 100 per cent that is a sending off. In real time, I don't think it looks so bad."

Jay Bothroyd: "I think first of all, it's playground stuff really. Casemiro has got big black gloves on as well and I don't think that helped him. It looks even worse with his hands looking even bigger. Yes his hands are around his (Hughes') neck, but it's his lower neck. But by the letter of the law he has raised his hands, he has put his hands around someone's neck so I think you have to send him off."

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Erik ten Hag admits Casemiro 'crossed the line' but was unhappy with the challenge that led to the melee

INCIDENT: Manchester United were awarded an early penalty against Crystal Palace for a handball by Hughes. Referee Andre Marriner was sent to the monitor by VAR - did he get it right?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think it's a penalty."

DERMOT SAYS: "His arm is well above his shoulder. It's bad luck, but that's what the law says. His arm is clearly up."

Was Casemiro unlucky? - Have your say

A selection of your best comments discussing Casemiro's red card...

Daniel Wadsworth

We have seen these incidents before and nothing has been given. Why was Casemiro singled out? The Crystal Palace player was far more aggressive on Fred yet there was nothing not even a yellow. Both were yellow cards at most.

Harvey Lewis

I think it's a joke to be honest. Palace did the exact same offence and got away with it. This is what VAR was supposed to be for. Rapidly falling out of love with the beautiful game.

Jeremy

Casemiro's red card was fully deserved. No need to put your hands on another player. Ayew was lucky to escape a card.

Benno

Casemiro clearly wasn't choking Hughes. No pressure or squeezing. Casemiro was just taking him away from the scuffle and holding him there, diffusing the situation like a leader does.

Lee

The problem is the VAR use of slow-motion replays and stills thus taking context out of the whole incident. Casemiro had his hands high on Hughes for such a short amount of time.

Tottenham 1-0 Man City

INCIDENT: Tottenham ended Sunday's victory over Manchester City with 10 men after Cristian Romero picked up two yellow cards. Does he have an argument with either of his bookings?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "It was clearly two bookings."

DERMOT SAYS: "It was clearly a yellow card for his tackle on Erling Haaland. He went in too aggressively. Then later on Jack Grealish, again there was no effort to play the ball."

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Tottenham's win over Manchester City in the Premier League

Wolves 3-0 Liverpool

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Wolves' win over Liverpool in the Premier League

INCIDENT: Liverpool were frustrated they weren't given a penalty for a handball by Wolves defender Max Kilman.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "It clearly comes off his body."

DERMOT SAYS: "His arms are tucked in and it comes off his thigh. He's trying to make his body smaller, not bigger, so I don't think you're ever going to get a penalty for that."

Brighton 1-0 Bournemouth

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Brighton's win over Bournemouth in the Premier League

INCIDENT: Bournemouth arguably should have been awarded a penalty against Brighton after Pervis Estupinan's shove on Dango Ouattara. VAR checked it but it wasn't given. Are you surprised by that one?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I don't think it's a penalty."

DERMOT SAYS: "There was no way the VAR was going to interfere with that after the on-field referee doesn't give it. I think he's too strong for him.

"He goes shoulder to shoulder. I don't think it's a penalty, the referee didn't think it was a penalty so there was no way the VAR was ever going to intervene."

Jay Bothroyd: "I think it's a penalty. The defender has used his body to push him out of the way. I don't think he's got any intention of playing the ball."

Sue Smith: "I was surprised it wasn't a penalty."

Everton 1-0 Arsenal

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Everton's win over Arsenal in the Premier League

INCIDENT: Could Arsenal have had a penalty for Neal Maupay's challenge on Gabriel in the second half against Everton?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "It's not a penalty."

DERMOT SAYS: "It's clumsy, but I think he goes over Maupay as much as he goes into him. I actually thought the referee had a really good game in this one."

Jay Bothroyd: "I think it's a tough one because as Gabriel has tried to go around him, Maupay has clipped his leg. But I don't think it's a penalty."

Sue Smith: "I agree. I don't think it's a penalty. He's used his body well."

Aberdeen 3-1 Motherwell

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Motherwell

INCIDENT: Aberdeen's Matty Kennedy is penalised for handball and Motherwell score the resulting penalty, but did the original effort hit him above the T-Shirt line?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think he's unlucky."

DERMOT SAYS: "It's so high up on his arm, but what I would question is why is he making that kind of action and giving the referee that decision to make. I think it hits him in the safe zone, but the referee didn't."

Hearts 3-1 Dundee United

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Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Hearts and Dundee United

INCIDENT: Dundee United's Ryan Edwards was sent off for a firm tackle against Hearts after a lengthy VAR check. Did you think it was a red card?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think it's a follow-through."

DERMOT SAYS: "He follows through and catches him. Once it gets sent to the VAR for a tackle like this I thought he was going to go. It wasn't a particularly high challenge, but he was very forceful."

Swansea 3-4 Birmingham

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Swansea and Birmingham

INCIDENT: Swansea players were angry after Birmingham were awarded an early penalty for a foul on Reda Khadra by goalkeeper Andy Fisher.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think Khadra's lucky."

DERMOT SAYS: "He toes the ball so far away. He sees the goalkeeper coming and collides with him. I think the referee gives a penalty and the forward's very, very grateful. For me, he's very, very lucky to get that."

Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Plymouth

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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has his say on whether or not Sheffield Wednesday's disallowed offside goal should have stood and touches on the big screen debacle against Plymouth

INCIDENT: The assistant took ages to flag Sheffield Wednesday's George Byers offside in their win over Plymouth. There were suggestions the officials saw the replay on the big screen and reached the decision from that. What did you make of it?

DERMOT'S VERDICT: "I think it's offside."

DERMOT SAYS: "I think Lee Gregory affects the play from an offside position and impacts the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper doesn't know whether he's going to touch the ball and blocks him off. The referee and linesman decide between them that it's offside and I think it's the right call."

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League One between Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle
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