Ref Watch: Gallagher analyses the penalty that got Ten Hag sacked

In the latest edition of Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher runs through the key incidents at the weekend – including West Ham’s late penalty to beat Manchester United and Arsenal’s disallowed winner against Liverpool.

West Ham 2-1 Man Utd

INCIDENT: United defender Matthijs de Ligt made contact with West Ham forward Danny Ings but David Coote initially waved play on. After it was suggested he go to the monitor by Michael Oliver on VAR, Coote awarded a penalty to West Ham which Jarrod Bowen went on to score.

DERMOT SAYS: “I’m second-guessing but I think he’s seen the thighs come together and thinks De Ligt has gone into him. He’s had a quick look, he’s made his judgement, he’s recommended.

“That’s the key issue though – recommended. We all say you go to the monitor and there’s a hard-and-fast thought it’s going to change.

“That’s because, by definition, you’re being sent to the monitor because they think you’ve made a clear and obvious error.

“That will be in the referee’s mind, but they do retain all options. I really did think he would stick with the on-field decision, because the more I saw it the more I was convinced it wasn’t a penalty.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “We’ve got to the point of talking about the on-field decision of the referee. I don’t know why VAR Michael Oliver felt he had to come in on that.

“Coote had to be strong in that situation. But because it was Michael Oliver and he’s a senior referee – was it a case of not wanting to undermine a senior referee?”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “It’s a really poor use of VAR. The referee got the decision right initially. There is contact but there was always going to be contact in there. I thought the referee would go over and go: ‘yeah I got it right initially’.”

Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool

INCIDENT: A late goal for Gabriel Jesus and Arsenal was ruled out due to Anthony Taylor blowing for a foul prior to the ball going into the net after Jakub Kiwior had impeded Dominik Szoboszlai.

DERMOT SAYS: “This is something of nothing. The referee’s clearly given a foul before that, I think against Kiwior for jumping against an opponent.

“He gave the foul by Kiwior, not the foul by (Kai) Havertz. It’s one if the referee gives it, he gives it. There’s 50-50 decisions in games, and that’s one of them.”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “I don’t think it’s a foul. It’s a 50:50. Szoboszlai didn’t challenge for the ball. But why did he delay the whistle?”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “He gives the first foul but he doesn’t whistle for it.

“He lets it run a little bit, and then he whistles when Havertz lifts the ball over (Caoimhin) Kelleher. He made his decision long ago, but didn’t whistle for it.

“I don’t think it’s a foul. I thought Liverpool were lucky there.”

Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham

INCIDENT: Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven brought down Ismaila Sarr, who was through on goal, but was not sent off for the challenge by referee Darren Bond.

DERMOT SAYS: “It’s referee’s call, he has a better view than me. They were of the belief he’s wide, too far from goal and going away from goal.

“That was their justification. I think that’s one where it’s the referee’s call. There’s no doubt he’s moving away from the goal.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “I thought a yellow card was right, the way Sarr was running to get that touch to go back in on goal, I think (Destiny) Udogie is probably going to get across. It’s not as if Sarr is running centrally.”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “The ball running away from goal saves Van de Ven. If it was going towards goal, that would have been a red card.”

Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle

INCIDENT: Eddie Howe’s side wanted a penalty for Levi Colwill’s challenge on midfielder Bruno Guimaraes but play was waved on by Simon Hooper and replays appeared to show contact arrived outside the box.

DERMOT SAYS: “It’s outside the box! I think he’s missed a foul, it’s a foul and a yellow card.

“It’s not a red, there’s players around and the ball is going the wrong way. But it is a foul.”

INCIDENT: Hooper awarded Chelsea a late penalty for Dan Burn holding Christopher Nkunku but then changed his mind after a VAR intervention with contact appearing minimal.

DERMOT SAYS: “This is exactly what VAR’s for. I didn’t think it was a penalty at the time, it’s not a penalty now.

“It was a good recommendation from Jarred Gillett to send him to the screen, and Simon Hooper’s looked at it with a blank canvas and said he’s got it wrong. It’s VAR working perfectly.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “Not a penalty at all. Both players are actually slipping and trying to get a hold on each other to keep themselves up.

“I don’t think there’s enough contact from Burn to drop to the ground like that. Good use of VAR.”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “The holding was minimal. As Nkunku comes back round, he just holds onto him for a split second. That’s not enough for a penalty.”

Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth

INCIDENT: Aston Villa saw an opening goal from captain John McGinn ruled out for the ball rolling out of play before it was laid off to the Scotland midfielder by Ollie Watkins.

DERMOT SAYS: “I think it is just out. When you watch Ollie Watkins, he comes back with the ball and thinks it’s out.

“He doesn’t even celebrate. When he plays the ball to McGinn he almost gives up on it, and when McGinn scores he just stands there!”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “Reactions of players. I saw the replay and was not sure it had gone out. But the beauty of VAR, this is where I don’t mind a slow-motion replay!

“There is just enough daylight between the ball and the line that you can see it. At normal speed, you don’t get to see that.”

INCIDENT: Antoine Semenyo was booked for simulation by Chris Kavanagh after going down in the penalty area following a challenge from Matty Cash.

DERMOT SAYS: “I don’t think it’s simulation. In this situation, just play on. He goes down easily, but it’s not a dive. Often there’s a third element to this. The third element is – do nothing.”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “Do nothing. You can see Cash touches the ball so it’s not a penalty. But it’s definitely not a dive.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “Kavanagh was card happy at the weekend. Every decision he made was a yellow card. Thirteen bookings – that was very high. He felt he had to keep giving yellow cards for minor fouls.”

Brentford 4-3 Ipswich

INCIDENT: A penalty was awarded to Thomas Frank’s side following a VAR review after Lewis Smith initially gave a free-kick for Harry Clarke’s foul on Keane Lewis-Potter.

DERMOT SAYS: “If you watch, it starts outside the box but he hauls him down inside. The referee can’t see that from his angle.

“VAR doesn’t even have to send the referee to the screen, it’s a factual incident where he goes down.”

INCIDENT: Clarke was shown a second yellow in his first Premier League start for the same challenge which led to the penalty.

SUE SMITH SAYS: “I thought the second yellow was really harsh. It’s definitely a foul but I just thought it was more of a foul than a second yellow.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “It’s harsh but I understand it. The proximity it is towards goal and where Lewis-Potter is going. It’s a little bit rash.”

Brighton 2-2 Wolves

INCIDENT: Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma was not shown a yellow card after kicking the ball away against Wolves.

DERMOT SAYS: “You can get too forensic on this. Does he delay a restart? No.

“There’s no player there to restart the game. There’s another ball they could pick up. It’s not delaying the restart.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “It’s driving me insane, this. There are balls around the pitch. (Gary) O’Neil, who is an ex-player, wants someone booked for something like that?

“There was one with Luis Diaz and it’s gone two or three yards, there is no-one in the vicinity. Players have their hands up wanting players booked? It’s ridiculous.”

SUE SMITH SAYS: “I do understand what they’re saying though. When you see other players getting booked for that, you have to be consistent. I do understand the frustration.”

Leicester 1-3 Nottingham Forest

INCIDENT: Leicester wanted a penalty after striker Jamie Vardy claimed he was held by Nikola Milenkovic but referee Craig Dawson said no.

DERMOT SAYS: “Not for me. He gets a little touch, but he catches his own ankle – that’s what trips him up.”

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “He might have just brushed Vardy and clipped his own heel, but it’s very hard to get into this.”