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Ref Watch: 'Manchester United should have had penalty against Manchester City'

Martin Demichelis appeared to fould Marcus Rashford in the City box
Image: Martin Demichelis appeared to foul Marcus Rashford in the City box

Should Manchester United have had a penalty? Should Chris Smalling have been sent off? Was Ruben Loftus-Cheek inside or outside the box when fouled against West Ham? And was Neymar correctly awarded a penalty against Villarreal?

In his weekly Ref Watch feature, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher appeared on Sky Sports Now to analyse the weekend's big issues.

Was your team affected by a contentious decision? Read on to find out...

MATCH: Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United, Sunday

INCIDENT: In the penalty box, Martin Demichelis appears to barge into Marcus Rashford, knocking him off balance, but no penalty is given.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Penalty

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Jamie Carragher said Manchester United were denied a 'blatant penalty'

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: All I can think is Michael (Oliver, the referee) thinks Demichelis shoulder-barges him when you see he hasn't. He's caught him in the midriff. It's just a decision he's got wrong, and knowing Michael as I do, he'll be upset about that. It's just an error.

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MATCH: Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United, Sunday

INCIDENT: Already on a booking, Chris Smalling clips the back of Sergio Aguero's foot and concedes a foul, but referee Oliver does not send him off.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: No red card

Chris Smalling appeared to go through the back of Aguero
Image: Chris Smalling appeared to go through the back of Aguero

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: What you have to remember is it took him three fouls to get him a first yellow card, it doesn't necessarily have to take another three to get him to a red card.

But it doesn't automatically mean his next foul is going to be a red card. That wasn't enough for a yellow card and therefore I think it was right just to speak to him.

MATCH: Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester, Saturday

INCIDENT: A Leicester corner is taken and Scott Dann pulls Robert Huth's shirt off in the penalty box among the pushing. The referee gives nothing.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: No penalty

Robert Huth's shirt was pulled off by Scott Dann
Image: Robert Huth's shirt was pulled off by Scott Dann

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: The referee is too distant from the incident when you see it. The referee has got so much to watch, he's looking through so many players he can't see that, and when Huth gets up it turns into comedy value.  

MATCH: Chelsea 2-2 West Ham, Saturday

INCIDENT: Chelsea are awarded a penalty for a foul by Michail Antonio on Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but there are questions over whether Loftus-Cheek was in or outside the box when Antonio tripped him up.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: No penalty

Reuben Loftus-Cheek looked to have been clipped by Michail Antonio outside the box
Image: Ruben Loftus-Cheek looked to have been clipped by Michail Antonio outside the box

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: I think it's a foul, at that point the referee doesn't know where it is, he's got to look to the assistant who makes that call looking across the line - is he in, is he out?

If he (the assistant referee) has made that call he's made it incorrectly, because it was outside the penalty area.

MATCH: Everton 0-2 Arsenal, Saturday

INCIDENT: Alexis Sanchez has the ball at this feet and appears to be tripped by Muhamed Besic as he prepares to shoot. He stays on his feet at first before going to ground, and referee Mark Clattenburg ignores the claims. 

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Penalty

Dermot Gallagher feels a penalty should have been given for Mo Besic's trip on Alexis Sanchez
Image: Dermot Gallagher feels a penalty should have been given for Mo Besic's trip on Alexis Sanchez

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: It's Besic who actually catches it and Mark doesn't see that. Because Mark sees Sanchez down, he doesn't give a foul against Ramiro Funes Mori as he's already going down. What he doesn't see is that contact from Besic because of Alex Iwobi.

MATCH: Southampton 3-2 Liverpool, Sunday

INCIDENT: Shane Long drives into the box and is challenged from behind by Dejan Lovren. The forward goes to ground but the referee says no penalty.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Penalty

Southampton should have been awarded a penalty after Lovren's brings down Long, says Gallagher
Image: Southampton should have been awarded a penalty after Lovren's brings down Long, says Gallagher

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: It's a penalty because Long is in possession of the ball and it's up to the defender not to make contact, but Long has initiated contact by going across him.

MATCH: Southampton 3-2 Liverpool, Sunday

INCIDENT: The ball is played into the box for Graziano Pelle and Martin Skrtel is penalised for having a hold of his shirt. Referee Roger East gives a penalty.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Penalty

Liverpool conceded a penalty as  Martin Skrtel pulled down Graziano Pelle in the box
Image: Liverpool conceded a penalty as Martin Skrtel pulled down Graziano Pelle in the box

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: Skrtel makes the initial contact, he grabs him. When we talk about shirt pulling, there has to be an initiator and I think Skrtel is the initiator.

MATCH: Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland, Sunday

INCIDENT: DeAndre Yedlin commits a foul throw, conceding possession back to Newcastle which leads to an equaliser. But is it a foul throw?

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Foul throw

DeAndre Yedlin appeared to commit a foul throw against Newcastle, which directly led to their rival's equaliser
Image: DeAndre Yedlin appeared to commit a foul throw against Newcastle, which directly led to their rival's equaliser

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: The ball has to come from behind his head and I don't think it does. It's from in front of his head, he also throws it into the ground, it's a classic example of what is a foul throw.

MATCH: Villarreal 2-2 Barcelona, Sunday

INCIDENT: Neymar is awarded a penalty after being brought down in the box by Villarreal goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Penalty

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Neymar won and converted a controversial penalty in their La Liga game at Villarreal.

GALLAGHER'S VIEW: The first touch takes the ball away, he fouls him. The goalkeeper definitely got the ball but he fouls him first. A very good spot by the referee.

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