In the latest *Ref Watch* segment, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher reviews key moments from the weekend, including West Ham’s late penalty that secured their win over Manchester United and Arsenal’s disallowed goal against Liverpool.
**West Ham 2-1 Man Utd**
**Incident:** United’s Matthijs de Ligt made contact with West Ham’s Danny Ings, but referee David Coote initially allowed play to continue. VAR official Michael Oliver suggested Coote review the incident on the pitch-side monitor, leading Coote to award a penalty to West Ham, which Jarrod Bowen converted.
**Dermot’s Analysis:** “I think Coote saw the contact between their thighs and interpreted it as a foul. He made a quick decision based on his observation, and then followed the VAR’s recommendation to review it.”
“The key here is the recommendation. Typically, when a referee is sent to the monitor, it’s assumed there’s been a clear and obvious mistake. That thought likely influenced Coote’s decision-making, but ultimately, the final call is still his. Personally, I thought he might stick with his initial decision as I didn’t see it as a penalty after watching it multiple times.”
**Stephen Warnock’s Take:** “We’ve come to discuss the referee’s original decision, and I’m unsure why VAR felt the need to intervene. Coote needed to stand firm on his call, but the fact that it was Michael Oliver, a senior referee, might have influenced his decision.”
**Sue Smith’s View:** “This was a poor application of VAR. The initial call was correct. Yes, there was contact, but that was to be expected in such a situation. I thought the referee would review the footage and confirm his original decision.”
**Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool.
**Incident:** Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus had a late goal disallowed after referee Anthony Taylor blew for a foul before the ball crossed the line. The decision came after Jakub Kiwior was judged to have impeded Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
Highlights from the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Liverpool
Here’s a summary of the key incidents from this weekend’s Premier League action, as analyzed in the latest edition of Ref Watch:
### Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
– **Incident**: A late goal for Gabriel Jesus was disallowed as referee Anthony Taylor had already blown for a foul by Jakub Kiwior against Dominik Szoboszlai before the ball hit the net.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Described it as a “50-50 decision,” emphasizing that Taylor’s call to give a foul against Kiwior could go either way. He noted that once the referee decides, it’s hard to overturn such calls.
– **Sue Smith**: Disagreed, stating she didn’t think it was a foul and questioned why Taylor delayed blowing the whistle.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Criticized Taylor’s handling, noting that the whistle was delayed until after the ball went in, which created confusion. He believed it was not a foul and felt Liverpool were fortunate.
### Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham
– **Incident**: Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven brought down Ismaila Sarr, who was through on goal, but was only shown a yellow card.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Supported the decision, suggesting the referee believed Sarr was moving away from the goal and thus it didn’t warrant a red card.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Agreed, adding that the angle of Sarr’s run and the presence of another defender (Udogie) played a role in the decision.
– **Sue Smith**: Felt that the ball running away from the goal was key, arguing that if it had been toward the goal, a red card might have been appropriate.
### Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
– **Incident 1**: Newcastle appealed for a penalty after Levi Colwill’s challenge on Bruno Guimaraes, but referee Simon Hooper did not award it.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Acknowledged that it was a foul, but said the contact was outside the box, making it a free-kick rather than a penalty.
– **Incident 2**: Hooper initially awarded Chelsea a penalty for Dan Burn’s challenge on Christopher Nkunku but overturned the decision after a VAR review.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Praised VAR’s intervention, stating it was a good example of using the system correctly, as there was minimal contact.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Agreed, emphasizing that both players were off-balance and that it was not enough for a penalty.
– **Sue Smith**: Also concurred, noting that the brief holding by Burn wasn’t sufficient to justify a penalty.
### Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth
– **Incident**: John McGinn’s goal was ruled out as Ollie Watkins was judged to have let the ball go out of play in the buildup.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Believed the decision was correct, noting that Watkins’ reaction suggested he knew the ball had gone out.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Highlighted the advantage of slow-motion replays in such situations, which revealed the small gap between the ball and the line that was difficult to detect at full speed.
Overall, VAR played a significant role in the weekend’s decisions, prompting debates over its application and the clarity of refereeing decisions.
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa’s draw against Bournemouth in the Premier League
### Brentford 4-3 Ipswich
– **Incident**: A penalty was awarded to Brentford following a VAR review after referee Lewis Smith initially gave a free-kick for Harry Clarke’s foul on Keane Lewis-Potter.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: The decision was likely adjusted by VAR because the contact occurred inside the penalty area, changing it from a free-kick to a penalty.
– **Typical VAR Role**: This kind of intervention aligns with VAR’s purpose—to correct clear and obvious errors, especially on the location of fouls.
### Antoine Semenyo Booking for Simulation
– **Incident**: Antoine Semenyo was booked for simulation by referee Chris Kavanagh after going down in the penalty area following a challenge from Matty Cash.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Argued that it wasn’t simulation, suggesting that the ideal approach would have been to simply “play on.” He felt that while Semenyo went down easily, it wasn’t a dive.
– **Sue Smith**: Agreed with Gallagher, emphasizing that while Cash did get a touch on the ball, Semenyo’s reaction didn’t warrant a booking for diving.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Criticized Kavanagh’s overall approach, describing him as “card happy” over the weekend, with 13 yellow cards issued in the match. He felt that many of these bookings, including the one for Semenyo, were unnecessary for minor incidents.
The consensus here seems to be that the booking for simulation was excessive, and a more balanced approach from the referee could have been applied. The VAR intervention in the Brentford-Ipswich match corrected a critical error, highlighting the nuanced role of technology in modern officiating.
Highlights from the Premier League match between Brentford and Ipswich Town
### Leicester 1-3 Nottingham Forest
– **Incident**: Leicester City appealed for a penalty after Jamie Vardy claimed he was held by Nikola Milenkovic in the box, but referee Craig Dawson waved the appeals away.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: This type of decision often hinges on the referee’s perspective and judgment of the physicality involved in the challenge. If the referee perceives the contact as minimal or part of a standard physical contest, he may not see it as enough to warrant a penalty.
– **General Consensus**: Situations like this tend to be subjective, and without clear evidence of a significant foul, VAR is unlikely to intervene.
### Brighton 2-2 Wolves
– **Incident**: Kaoru Mitoma was not shown a yellow card after kicking the ball away during the match against Wolves.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Believed that booking Mitoma would have been overly harsh since his action didn’t clearly delay a restart of play, as there were other balls available on the pitch.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Expressed frustration with the increasing tendency to demand bookings for minor infractions, especially when it doesn’t materially impact the flow of the game.
– **Sue Smith**: Acknowledged the inconsistency in officiating, understanding why some might expect a booking given other similar instances that have been penalized.
### Brentford 4-3 Ipswich
– **Incident**: A penalty was awarded to Brentford after a VAR review determined that the foul by Harry Clarke on Keane Lewis-Potter started outside the box but continued inside.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Explained that VAR’s intervention was appropriate as the foul’s continuation into the box made it a factual decision. Since it met the criteria for a penalty, there was no need for the referee to review it on the pitchside monitor.
– **Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith**: Debated the second yellow card shown to Clarke for the challenge. While Warnock acknowledged the logic behind it given the foul’s position and its impact, both thought it was harsh for what seemed more like a standard foul.
The discussions highlight the challenge of consistency in refereeing and how VAR’s role continues to shape interpretations of fouls and disciplinary actions.
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Nottingham Forest’s win against Leicester in the Premier League### Leicester 1-3 Nottingham Forest
– **Incident**: Leicester City appealed for a penalty when Jamie Vardy went down in the box, claiming contact from Nikola Milenkovic. However, referee Craig Dawson did not award a penalty.
– **Dermot Gallagher**: Believed that it wasn’t a penalty. He noted that while there might have been a slight touch, Vardy appeared to trip over his own ankle rather than being brought down by the defender.
– **Stephen Warnock**: Agreed that the situation was tricky, suggesting that Vardy may have brushed against Milenkovic and then clipped his own heel. However, he emphasized how difficult it is to assess such incidents with certainty.
This analysis emphasizes the complexity of penalty decisions, especially when minimal contact is involved and a player’s movement results in an accidental trip. It also underscores the subjectivity in determining whether such moments merit intervention.
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