Thursday 27 December 2018 15:51, UK
Did Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah 'dive' to win his side a penalty at Anfield? Were Fulham lucky not once, but twice, in their draw with Wolves? Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher gives us his verdict from the Boxing Day games.
As always, there were a whole host of hotly-contested decisions in the Premier League on Wednesday. So whether it was disputed penalties, potential offside goals, or possible sendings-off, Dermot spoke to Sky Sports News about all those big incidents...
INCIDENT: Paul Dummett pulls back Mo Salah, with referee Graham Scott pointing to the spot.
VERDICT: Correct decision, penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: I thought it was a penalty - he [Dummett] caught him by the arm and there was enough there. At the speed people move, you do not need much… (to go over). His reaction is that he almost gives upon the decision, like 'why have I done that?'
There were some reports today claiming Salah could face retrospective disciplinary action from The FA similar to that handed down to Everton's Oumar Niasse and West Ham's Manuel Lanzini last season.
Salah free to face Arsenal
However, Gallagher explains why those two cases are different.
"He [Niasse] is going forward and actually initiates the contact, whereas with the Dummett and Salah one, Dummett takes him from behind," says the former top-flight official. "Whereas Niasse sees the leg and then goes into it.
"The referee is in the wrong position here - because he has a complete down the barrel view, he thinks Erik Pieters fouls him [Lanzini], but he takes his leg away."
INCIDENT: Fabian Delph is shown a straight red for a studs-up tackle on Ricardo Pereira.
VERDICT: Correct decision, sending-off.
DERMOT SAYS: A great spot by Darren Cann as Mike Dean can't see this. Without doubt for me, it is a red card. He has got the ball, there is no doubt about that, but what he has done is continue through with force and intensity.
INCIDENT: Fulham defender Denis Odoi makes a hash of an attempted clearance and handles the ball in the box.
VERDICT: Wrong decision, penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: I think this is one that is very, very difficult to judge and the reason I say that is if a player jumps like this with his arm in the air, he is running the risk of a penalty. If a penalty is awarded, he cannot complain. What I would say is that looking at where (referee) Andre Marriner is, the Wolves player is actually in front of him and I do not think he is sure whether the ball strikes his arm, or whether the Wolves player has headed the ball.
INCIDENT: Calum Chambers is only booked after sliding in late on Romain Saiss.
VERDICT: Correct decision, yellow card.
DERMOT SAYS: He is low, but he does not come far and one of the things referees look for is the speed and intensity and they are normally generated by distance moved. And because he is close to the player, he does not gain that speed and intensity which really makes it a forceful tackle.
INCIDENT: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opens the scoring, but was Arsenal team-mate Alexandre Lacazette offside in the build-up?
VERDICT: Wrong decision, Lacazette was offside.
DERMOT SAYS: There is the flick on and he is in an offside position, which is not an offence. But what he does, he quite clearly goes towards the ball, so he impacts the defender, and he has pinned him in the corner. And because he has pinned him in the corner, the defender has had his clearance blocked, so he has impacted in his chance to clear the ball. And if the linesman had flagged straight away…