Skip to content

Have Leicester City been lucky with referee decisions?

The ball played by Charlie Austin hits Robert Huth's hand
Image: Was Robert Huth lucky not to give away a penalty for handball against Southampton earlier this month?

Leicester's march to a remarkable Premier League title win goes on - but have Claudio Ranieri's side been fortunate in recent weeks with refereeing decisions?

Wes Morgan, Danny Simpson and Robert Huth (twice) have had the ball strike their arm in the Leicester penalty box in the past two months, without a spot-kick being awarded against them.

At the other end, the Foxes have been awarded 10 penalties - the most in the Premier League and four more than any other side.

In fact, Jamie Vardy alone (six) has been awarded more penalties than 18 Premier League teams.

Former top-flight referee Dermot Gallagher analyses the weekend's key decisions on Sky Sports News HQ every Monday morning.

Here, he takes a closer look at some recent big calls in Leicester's Premier League fixtures and delivers his verdict on whether they've had the rub of the green…

MATCH: Sunderland 0-2 Leicester, April 10 

Also See:

DeAndre Yedlin challenges Leicester's Japan striker Shinji Okazaki during match at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland
Image: Sunderland's DeAndre Yedlin challenges Leicester's Shinji Okazaki

INCIDENT 1: Marc Albrighton plays a diagonal ball over the Sunderland defence which Shinji Okazaki races on to. As the ball sails over the defence, DeAndre Yedlin attempts to clear but misses the ball and catches Okazaki in the chest. Referee Anthony Taylor decides not to award Leicester a penalty.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Incorrect decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "I think it's a foul and a penalty. I don't think the referee realises what has happened. Yedlin had caught Okazaki in the chest and he is not near the ball. Anthony doesn't see it like that, but the penalty should have been given."

Robert Huth handball incident during Sunderland's Premier League clash with Leicester at the Stadium of Light.

INCIDENT 2: Sunderland's Patrick van Aanholt fires in a low cross which strikes Leicester defender Robert Huth on the arm as he slides in to make a challenge. The referee decides not to point to the spot.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "The cross strikes Huth's hand not the other way around, so it's definitely not a penalty. Huth can't cut his arm off, it's there and he was just going to ground. His arms have to go somewhere and that is what you would call a natural position."

MATCH: Leicester 1-0 Southampton, April 3 

Danny Simpson Leicester

INCIDENT 1: Southampton's Sadio Mane is clean through on goal, rounds goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, but has a goal-bound shot blocked by Leicester's Danny Simpson. Handball was not given. 

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "It has to be intentional, and not be committed. It would've hit his chest. But I think the rule has got to be more prescriptive, it has got to be, 'This is handball' or 'This isn't handball'."

Robert Huth Leicester penalty

INCIDENT 2: Southampton's Charlie Austin plays a low cross in the area which strikes Huth on the arm, but the referee gives Southampton a corner rather than a spot-kick.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "The ball has come from a short distance and it has come at speed, there's no doubt about that. Can he get his hand out the way? I'm not convinced he can."

Wes Morgan's goal correctly stood, says Gallagher

INCIDENT 3: Wes Morgan rises above Jordy Clasie to head in Christian Fuchs' cross to score, but the Leicester captain appeared to put his arm across the Dutchman while contending for the ball.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "Michael Oliver has a great view of it. He can see what force he puts into it. I don't think it's a foul."

Victor Wanyama appears to pull back Jamie Vardy

INCIDENT 4: Very early on in the second half, Victor Wanyama miscontrols the ball, Jamie Vardy pounces on it and is dragged back with what appeared to be an arm across the face. A yellow card is given, but should it have been a red?

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "He's on his shoulder to start with. It's a pull-back and Michael has got that right. He's very clever to realise the first touch is to take the ball away and not panicking and giving a red card."

MATCH: Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester, March 19

Robert Huth's shirt was pulled off by Scott Dann

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

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "The referee is too distant from the incident. He has so much to watch, he's looking through so many players he can't see that." 

MATCH: Leicester 2-2 West Brom, March 1

Fuchs appeared to plant his foot on Sessegnon's ankle

INCIDENT: With Leicester 1-0 down, Danny Drinkwater scores an equaliser but West Brom's Stephane Sessegnon is booked after the goal for his reaction to a challenge by Foxes full-back Christian Fuchs in the build-up.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT:  Foul: Incorrect decision. Reaction: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "My first reaction when I saw it was no foul [by Fuchs]. When you see it again from a different angle, it's definitely a foul. It's a yellow card at least, bordering on a red card. He's [Sessegnon] berated the official too much. Mark Clattenburg has backed the assistant, and the assistant thinks it wasn't a foul."

MATCH: Leicester 1-0 Norwich, February 27

Was Wes Morgan's handball deliberate?

INCIDENT: With this Premier League encounter finely poised, Cameron Jerome curls an effort at goal. The ball appears to hit Wes Morgan on the arm in the penalty area. Nothing is given.

GALLAGHER'S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: "It can't be given. It is not deliberate, he's turned away and it has hit him." 

Around Sky