Dermot Gallagher runs the rule over key incidents from the Premier League weekend on Sky Sports News
Thursday 19 March 2020 15:36, UK
Was Joe Gomez fouled ahead of Bournemouth's opener at Liverpool? Was the free kick which gave Manchester United their first goal correct? Should Fred have had a penalty? Dermot Gallagher has all the answers...
Former Premier League referee Dermot joined Rob Wotton, Sue Smith and Stephen Warnock on Sky Sports News for his weekly review of the big decisions.
INCIDENT: Ilkay Gundogan is penalised for catching Bruno Fernandes from behind, right in front of referee Mike Dean. From Fernandes' free kick, Anthony Martial scores the first goal of the game.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: It looks a foul, doesn't it? When you saw it as it happened, I think this is a typical example of if a foul's given, and no goal is scored, nobody's bothered. Because it comes in and Martial scores, it becomes a big talking point.
It looked a foul to me. I didn't think anything of it, it's only when it goes in the net everyone's talking about it.
INCIDENT: Fred turns inside of Nicolas Otamendi inside the Manchester City penalty area, and goes to ground after appearing to be kicked on the back of the leg. Dean gives a free kick to City and issues Fred a yellow card. A VAR review does not change the decision.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: The one thing I can say with certainty is it's not simulation. You've got two choices, really. If you think it's a foul you give a penalty, if you don't, you play on. When you see this, you've got to give a penalty, but VAR felt there wasn't enough contact for it to be a clear and obvious error.
It's so late when Fred goes down, I think that's what's convinced Mike it's a dive. At the moment, they don't go over to the screen for penalties, and I can't say whether he would have changed his mind had he done so. I would have changed my mind seeing the footage though.
INCIDENT: Callum Wilson pushes Joe Gomez as the pair compete for a ball forward. Gomez is knocked off balance and moments later Bournemouth score the opening goal. Paul Tierney does not give a foul and VAR does not overturn the decision.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: The referee said on the day he didn't think it was a foul, I saw him talking to James Milner afterwards. It's not offside, there's no doubt about that, and when the VAR looks at it they didn't think there was enough of a push for it to be a clear and obvious error.
It's a little push, if he gives a foul you wouldn't argue, but he plays on and didn't think it was a foul. I thought it was a little push, some people would give it but some wouldn't.
INCIDENT: The ball strikes Dwight McNeil on the arm moments before he crosses it into the box. It's half-cleared to Jay Rodriguez, whose shot is spilled by Hugo Lloris and turned in by Chris Wood for the opening goal. VAR awards the goal.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: It does hit his hand. It's not deliberate so the referee plays on, Rodriguez shoots, Lloris saves, Wood scores. Four players touch the ball in between. The law asks if it's resulted in a player scoring a goal? No. Has it created an immediate goalscoring opportunity for Wood? No. So it's a different phase, and it can't be penalised.
INCIDENT: Davinson Sanchez appears to barge into the back of Chris Wood inside the Tottenham box, knocking the Burnley player to the floor. Jon Moss does not give a penalty.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: I don't think it's a penalty. He's going for the ball, it's not a penalty. When people aerially challenge, it's inevitable there's going to be physical contact.
INCIDENT: Eddie Nketiah knocks the ball past West Ham defender Jeremy Ngakia in the West Ham penalty area and goes down after appearing to get a slight touch from the right-back. Martin Atkinson waves play on.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: I don't think this is a penalty either. It's inevitable he's going to catch him, because of where he is. Ngakia realises he could foul him, and stops.
