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Ref Watch is here to debate a number of the weekend’s controversial talking points from the second round of Premier League fixtures.
Former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher has been in the Sky Sports News studio to give his view on several incidents from the last two days’ action.
INCIDENT: Shkodran Mustafi’s opening goal came after referee Mike Dean had awarded a dubious free-kick for a foul on Alexis Sanchez by Davinson Sanchez.
DERMOT SAYS: I don’t think it’s a foul, but what’s interesting is that Mike Dean thinks he’s pulled him back. He sees his arm come across and he gives it for that. It’s not the best of decisions.
INCIDENT: Was Mustafi offside for the goal?
DERMOT SAYS: The VAR [Video Assistant Referee] would say it’s offside, but it’s a decision that everyone would accept. It’s so tight. Different teams have been the victim of these types of calls and some have been successful - it does balance up. For example, Arsenal had one last week against Manchester City that was given offside. It’s so marginal to the naked eye, so it’s a decision at the moment you have to accept.
INCIDENT: Alexandre Lacazette appeared offside in the build-up to their second goal, scored by Sanchez.
DERMOT SAYS: If you highlight it, his arm is in an offside position but you can’t score with your arm so therefore you can’t give offside. Again, it’s so, so, tight. The assistant has to be convinced he’s offside and he can’t, so he has to keep his flag down.
INCIDENT: Vincent Kompany picked up a yellow card after just two minutes for a tackle on Jamie Vardy, who was running through on goal, but should it have been a sending off?
DERMOT SAYS: If it’s not a foul, Vardy takes one more step and it’s a clear shot on goal.
The difficulty for the referee is that he’s square on. When he sees the foul, the time he looks up John Stones has come across and the whole picture has changed. He can’t snap photograph it in his mind - you see it forensically it’s a red card, but from the referee’s angle he’s deceived because of the ball going away and Stones coming in on the cover. I think the easy decision would have been to send him off - the decision he took was the harder one as it was more logical to him and the more justifiable one in his mind.
INCIDENT: Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot as Scott Dann was deemed to have blocked off Oumar Niasse as he ran into the box.
DERMOT SAYS: From the first angle I’d say, yes, it’s a penalty - but from the angle behind the goal I’d say no. I feel for the referee here. It’s not a foul. In terms of retrospective action it’s difficult to call as with the parameters they’ve set, it’s a question of whether there’s enough contact to put him down. If Niasse says the arm across his chest put him down, the referee couldn’t see that. The referee has given a foul for a trip - but he’s not tripped.
INCIDENT: Andy Carroll didn’t take long to make his presence felt during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat at Watford as he flattened Marvin Zeegelaar after just six seconds with a flying elbow. No foul was awarded.
DERMOT SAYS: I think it’s a yellow card - it’s very similar to when he got sent off at Burnley for a second yellow card. He leads with the arm but doesn’t throw his arm. The difficulty for the referee is that he’s inside the field of play when Carroll is using his other arm. He can’t possibly see it as he doesn’t give a free-kick.
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