Dermot Gallagher dissects the big focal points from the weekend action on Ref Watch.
Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham
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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has ruled that Michael Oliver’s decision to grant Fabinhu a yellow card due to a challenge against Heung-Min Son was correct
INCIDENT: Was Liverpool midfielder Fabinho happy not to receive more than a card for a powerful challenge against Spurs striker Heung-Min Son?
JUDGMENT: The right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: “I think the yellow card is the right decision. If you look, grab him by the forearm, his forearm is raised, but he’s there and the Son enters him, not what he used as a weapon as I call him throw it back. So I think it’s call correctly … “
Tuesday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Start at 20:00
Arsenal 2-1 Leeds United
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Dermot Gallagher says Judge Chris Kavanagh was right when he changed his decision from yellow to red after a VAR review of Luke Ayling who killed Gabriel Martinelli
INCIDENT: Luke Ayling received a direct red card from VAR after initially receiving only a warning for a wild collision between Gabriel Martinelli.
JUDGMENT: The right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: “Definitely [the right decision]. The process is perfect as a judge [Chris Kavanagh]for whatever reason, he doesn’t see this angle of speed at which he’s coming, he certainly doesn’t see a two-legged grip.
“You see him walking on the ground like him, he’s out of control, there’s no way he’s going to stop, it’s dangerous anyway, when Chris is sent to the screen, he doesn’t need to look like a VAR for long [John Brooks] he said, ‘look, in my opinion you need to look at this again, I think it’s a bad attempt, he went on two legs, he’s out of control.’
“The judge looked, it didn’t take much of another look to see another angle from behind, a red card for me.”
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Stephen Warnock says Luke Ayling let Leeds United down with his ‘stupid mistake’ by diving with two feet on Gabriel Martinelli
Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m.
Start at 19:30
Man City 5-0 Newcastle United
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Dermot Gallagher says it was the right decision to allow Aymeric Laporte’s goal for Manchester City despite Newcastle’s complaints about a foul on Martin Dubravka
INCIDENT: Should Man City’s second goal against Newcastle have been ruled out, and Martin Dubravka apparently has two hands on the ball?
JUDGMENT: The right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: “I don’t think so [have two hands on the ball] because what happens is he spills the ball – he has to have his hand on the ball between the ground and I’m not convinced he has.
“He reaches for the ball and while he reaches for the ball, he doesn’t get it, it is thrown out of him, he plays on and then he goes to the ground. I don’t think he has that placement at the top of the ball.
Wednesday, May 11 at 8 p.m.
Start at 20:15
Chelsea 2-2 Wolves
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Chelsea’s Premier League draw
INCIDENT: Chelsea striker Timo Werner cancels a goal due to a foul on Romain Saiss.
JUDGMENT: Wrong decision.
DERMOT SAYS: “Another day it would not be considered a foul. When you look at an incident like this, you can pull bones out of it, no doubt about it. When you watch as a judge [Peter Bankes] judged all day, it was actually in line with his level of tolerance.
“What I would say is that I watched this game from zero to minute 90 and whenever something like that happened, he committed a foul, so it was no big surprise to me that he committed a foul.”