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...
Monday 6 February 2023 16:12, UK
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.
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.
"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.
"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."
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."
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."
A selection of your best comments discussing Casemiro's red card...
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
