Monday 31 December 2018 20:04, UK
Was Eric Bailly lucky not to have conceded a penalty against Bournemouth? Did he deserve to get sent off? Dermot Gallagher gives us his view.
As always, there were a whole host of hotly-contested decisions in the Premier League and, of course, the Old Firm derby over the weekend. We got former Premier League referee Gallagher to run his trained eye over some big calls...
INCIDENT: Bailly wins the ball in the box but he follows through with a high boot that nearly catches Charlie Daniels in the face. No penalty is awarded.
VERDICT: Penalty.
DERMOT SAYS: I thought this should have been given. I wonder if the referee looked away too quick? It has to be foul. It's a yellow card, too, as he's reckless. It's not a red. He's not gone to lead with his boot.
INCIDENT: Bailly is dismissed for a scissor-like tackle on Ryan Fraser.
VERDICT: Correct call.
DERMOT SAYS: If you go in like this: out of control and two-footed, you're in trouble. It's not a great tackle. Fraser does well to see it coming and jump out of the way.
INCIDENT: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is shown a straight red at St Mary's after launching into a dangerous tackle on City midfielder Fernandinho. Hojbjerg will now serve a four-match suspension.
VERDICT: Correct call.
DERMOT SAYS: It's a very, very bad tackle. Hojbjerg is out of control and not only that, he scissors him as well.
INCIDENT: Mo Salah scored his 16th goal of the season after referee Michael Oliver adjudged he was brought down by Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the first half. Jurgen Klopp defended Salah, who was accused of diving.
VERDICT: Correct call.
DERMOT SAYS: I think it's all about the forward getting in front of the defender. Salah has then got the advantage over his marker. You can see he clips him and that's all he has to do for this to be a penalty.
INCIDENT: Sead Kolasinac's push on Dejan Lovren results in another penalty to Liverpool which Roberto Firmino converts.
VERDICT: Correct call.
DERMOT SAYS: The fall probably didn't justify the momentum, but it is a foul. The referee couldn't be in a better position to see that the defender has pushed him.
INCIDENTS: There were lots of talking points around Alfredo Morelos as he clashed with Scott Brown, Ryan Christie and Anthony Ralston in a typically feisty derby. Did any of these deserve punishment?
DERMOT SAYS: The one on Brown is born out of frustration. It looks worse than it is. He's just let him know he's there. The one on Christie is the same. It's petulance - Christie did exceptionally well to get straight up. It's not a violent act - more playful.
However, the one on Ralston is the one I can't understand. There is no need to leave his foot on him.
When refereeing a game like this you have to be strong from the start and set your stall out, to make sure everyone knows you're in control. Once the players accept your control level, then you can let it go a little bit. There's a very fine line in these games of choking it and allowing it to flow.