Ref Watch: Fabinho’s challenge on Tottenham forward Son Heung-min – Dermot Gallagher gives verdict | Football News

Dermot Gallagher dissects the big flashpoints from the weekend’s action on Ref Watch.

Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham

INCIDENT: Was Liverpool midfielder Fabinho lucky not to have received more than a booking for a forceful challenge on Spurs forward Son Heung-min?

VERDICT: Correct decision.

DERMOT SAYS: “I think yellow card is the right decision. If you look, he catches him with his forearm, his forearm is up, but it is there and Son goes into it, it is not one he has used as a weapon as I call the throwing it back. So, I think right call…”

Arsenal 2-1 Leeds United

INCIDENT: Luke Ayling is shown a straight red card by the VAR after initially only being given a caution for a wild tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.

VERDICT: Correct decision.

DERMOT SAYS: “Definitely (the right decision). The process is perfect as the referee [Chris Kavanagh], for whatever reason, does not see this angle of the speed he is coming in, he certainly does not see the two-footed tackle.

“You see him going across the ground like he does, he is out of control, there is no way he can stop himself, it is a dangerous tackle anyhow, when Chris is sent to the screen, he does not take long to look as the VAR [John Brooks] has said, ‘look, in my opinion you need to look at this again, I think it is a bad tackle, he has gone two footed, he is out of control.’

“The referee has looked, it does not take much of a second look to see the second angle from behind, red card for me.”

Man City 5-0 Newcastle United

INCIDENT: Should Man City’s second goal against Newcastle have been ruled out, with Martin Dubravka seemingly having two hands on the ball?

VERDICT: Correct decision.

DERMOT SAYS: “I think he does not (have two hands on the ball) as what happens is he spills the ball – he has to have his hand on top of the ball between the ground and I’m not convinced that he has.

“He is reaching for the ball and as he reaches for the ball, he does not get it, it is kicked away from him, play on and then he goes to ground. I do not think he has that placement on top of the ball. He goes to, but he does not actually get it.”

Chelsea 2-2 Wolves

INCIDENT: Chelsea striker Timo Werner has a goal disallowed for a foul on Romain Saiss.

VERDICT: Wrong decision.

DERMOT SAYS: “On another day, it would not be given as a foul. When you look at an incident like this, you can pick the bones out of it, there is no doubt about that. When you watch how the referee [Peter Bankes] refereed all day, this was actually in keeping with his tolerance level.

“What I would say is I watched this game from minute naught to minute 90 and whenever anything like that occurred, he gave a foul, so it was not a massive surprise to me he gave a foul there.”