Tuesday 18 April 2017 08:30, UK
Following another round of Premier League fixtures, Ref Watch returns to debate a number of the weekend's controversial talking points.
Former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher has been in the Sky Sports News HQ studio to give his view on several controversial incidents from the latest round of top-flight games.
Handball, penalties given and not given, late tackles and offside goals all feature in this week's edition....
INCIDENT: Ander Herrera appears to handle Nemanja Matic's pass.
SCENARIO: The United midfielder blocks the Serb's through ball with his hand, but referee Bobby Madley deems it accidental, with the home side then going on to open the scoring.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, handball
DERMOT SAYS: I thought it was (handball), but what I would say in defence of the referee, if you watch he has a great view, he makes a decision and clearly says: 'No'. So although I think he has got it wrong, I will applaud the referee for not hiding behind the fact like there was a player in my way, I was at the wrong angle. All I can presume is that he has judged a) the ball has come too close to him and his arm was already there and b) it has hit him too fast.
The amazing thing about it is as a consequence the ball quickly goes to Marcus Rashford and he scores, so it is a massive, massive incident and that is how fine a line referees tread. If that ball had just gone out for a thrown in, we would not be talking about it.
INCIDENT: Marcos Rojo and Diego Costa clash in the penalty area.
SCENARIO: The two players tumble over in the box, with the Chelsea striker appearing to catch the Argentine, who then looks to retaliate against his opponent, with Mr Madley just warning the two men.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Right decision, just handbags
DERMOT SAYS: I just think it is a bit of petulance on both parts, but what I would say is I thought the referee dealt with these two particular players in this game extremely well. Both of them were very physical and feisty towards each other and he stepped in at the right time and left them alone at the right time. He just bided his time and let them simmer away, but he did not let them boil over.
INCIDENT: Leroy Sane bursts through on goal, only to stumble under a challenge from Fraser Forster.
SCENARIO: As the City forward attempts to round Southampton's goalkeeper, he goes to ground, but referee Neil Swarbrick only awards a corner
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Right decision, no penalty
DERMOT SAYS: Massive, massive tick for the referee as hand on heart, the first time I saw it I thought it was a nailed-on penalty. I could not see it was anything else other than a penalty. But Forster quite clearly gets his hand on the ball and that is what actually takes it in the opposite direction. And that is what Neil Swarbrick has seen and why he gives a corner.
What I also thought was great later on that evening is Sane came out himself and said it was not a penalty. And for a player to do that and reinforce the referee's decision I thought was first class.
INCIDENT: Ryan Bertrand follows through late on Sergio Aguero.
SCENARIO: Southampton's left-back catches the striker with a nasty-looking tackle on the Argentine's Achilles, but Mr Swarbrick opts not to book the player.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, minimum yellow card
DERMOT SAYS: I think Bertrand is fortunate to escape full stop. The referee takes the decision he does because it looks so innocuous. But when you see it, he has gone straight down the back of his Achilles and without doubt it is a yellow card. And many, many times you see a player suffer a serious injury after a tackle like that and which could result in a red card. But it certainly was not just a free-kick.
INCIDENT: Christian Benteke brings Palace level against Leicester with a far-post header.
SCENARIO: The giant striker climbs over defender Yohan Benalouane to nod home, with referee Mike Dean deciding it was a fair challenge by the Belgian.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Right decision, no foul
DERMOT SAYS: I think this is a good goal. Many people said to me over the weekend that he is climbing all over him, but he has got up and got up early, he is up there first. You are looking, is he is holding a player down or is he using him as leverage to get up? And I think he has got up early and because he has got up early, the defender has got nowhere to go and it is just shear body strength. I would have been very, very surprised if that goal has been disallowed.
INCIDENT: Divock Origi nods Roberto Firmino's headed cross home at the Hawthorns.
SCENARIO: The Liverpool forward's 'goal' is disallowed after the referee's assistant deemed that Firmino was offside before heading the ball back across the box for his team-mate to score.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Right decision, offside
DERMOT SAYS: When the ball comes in, Firmino is marginally offside, but he is offside. However, that is how tight that call is. He then heads the ball back to Origi, but that is a super call bearing in mind that ball has come a long way. And he has snapshot it in his head - that is where he was when that ball was played in, that is where it has gone. Offside.
INCIDENT: Simon Francis is convinced Bournemouth should be awarded a goal kick in the first half of their match at White Hart Lane.
SCENARIO: Dele Alli and Harry Arter compete for the ball just outside the penalty area, with the deflection taking it behind for a Tottenham corner, according to referee Michael Oliver, from which they take the lead.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Right decision, Spurs corner
DERMOT SAYS: When you see a player do that (strongly dispute a referee's decision), it almost convinces you in your mind that he knows it is a goal kick. So you go: 'Goal kick' without thinking, but when you see it, it is actually Harry Arter that plays the ball. Great awareness though from Michael not to be taken down a back alley and suckered.
INCIDENT: Alex Schalk appears to go over in the box under a challenge from Erik Sviatchenko.
SCENARIO: Referee Don Robertson immediately points to the spot after the Ross County frontman takes a tumble in the penalty area with the Celtic centre back in close proximity.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, no penalty
DERMOT SAYS: Let's be straight, it was not a foul. I wonder looking back whether the referee was unsettled, he had taken a lot of stick off the Celtic players in the previous few minutes leading up to that incident?
