Ref Watch: Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from a weekend of VAR controversy | Football News

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher singled out the flashpoints of the weekend’s VAR controversy in the top flight, including drama at the Emirates and Selhurst Park.

Arsenal 1-1 Brentford

INCIDENT: Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have admitted a ‘significant error in the VAR process’ was responsible for Brentford’s offside goal being awarded during their 1-1 draw at Arsenal. This was not fully investigated by VAR. He checked the block – but it was not offside on Christian Norgaard. How can this happen?

DERMOT said: “If the referee thinks he has a materialistic influence on the players, yes [they can be offside].

“When the free kick was over, Ethan Pinnock – who started offside – was everything. He couldn’t have been given offside at the time because he had no influence on the outcome of the ball.

“Pinnock goes back to the onside position and the next problem comes when Pinnock has come from the offside position, but when the ball is played when he is onside, if he leads, it is Norgaard – it is the player who is in the offside position.

“Norgaard then crossed and Ivan Toney scored.

“Lee Mason made two checks and it was very thorough – it took three minutes.

“They thought Pinnock was in an offside position – there’s no doubt about it. They decided because the ball was too high, he couldn’t drive the ball so he didn’t interfere with the play because he didn’t hit it.

“Did he have an impact on the defender? I think if VAR sees it and he’s behind, then it’s difficult. They judge it as innocent, it’s a subjective element.

“He was concentrating on that so much that I think he switched off and then forgot to complete the pass.

“It’s not panic, but ‘I’ve taken three minutes and found no offence, people will wonder why I’ve checked so often’.

“He then didn’t check Norgaard’s offside, and that’s where the problem is.

“It’s a human error bought by the fact that time has eaten away and three minutes is an eternity for the audience. You can hear them, and that should play in their hearts.

“They just closed a little early.”

Why didn’t the VAR assistant point out the error?

DERMOT said: “I don’t know to be honest, again, I wonder if they have been sucked into the same vacuum in terms of time.

“If he keeps going, he will get the right answer.

“In my mind, it’s easy to go ‘Ivan Toney scores, is he offside? No. The default is for Norgaard to cross the ball. Is he offside? Yes. End of story.’

“That’s easy. But in the process, he takes it from free kicks and that’s it.”

Kevin Campbell: “It’s great to know there’s an apology, but what is it really? Because all eyes are on it [the game] – the VAR official has an assistant, but what does he see?

“If other people can see it, they can see it.

“Another exercise? Come on, it’s crazy, as far as I’m concerned. It’s just people not doing their job right—as simple as that.”

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

INCIDENT: There was another big mistake at Crystal Palace. PGMOL have apologized to Brighton after admitting VAR made a mistake in disallowing Pervis Estupinan’s goal for offside as he made the wrong line – again how did that happen?

DERMOT said: “It’s just a human error. They put the right line, go through the body of James Tomkins’. If you look right Marc Guehi is more behind, there is doubt about it.

“If he makes a line on his body, Estupinan is always on the side and the goal is given.

“You have to apologise. It was a human error made by VAR.”

Brooks was replaced by VAR for the Merseyside and Arsenal-Man City derbies

In response to the incident, PGMOL confirmed refereeing chief Howard Webb had contacted Arsenal and Brighton to acknowledge and explain significant errors in the VAR process in their respective matches.

John Brooks, the VAR who wrongly disallowed Estupinan’s goal for Brighton, has been substituted for the two games to be played this week.

Brooks should be VAR for Monday night’s Merseyside derby, straight away Sky Sportsand the Arsenal vs Manchester City match on Saturday, but PGMOL has confirmed that Brooks has been replaced by Andre Marriner and David Coote respectively for that schedule.

DERMOT said: “It was night when I came back and it was torture. It’s the worst trip of your life because you think ‘it’s not over yet’.

“You need one of your friends to call you and say ‘don’t think about it, think about all the good things you’ve done’ and you’ll back off.

“Or you need a game to get right back. It’s like that. Not everyone is the same and some people want to take their time.

“Maybe John Brooks needs that time.”

Sue Smith: “Arsenal’s mistakes, which could cost them the title. If they lose the title by two points, it’s huge.

“It could be the same as Brighton going into Europe, if it’s two points. It’s big for that football club. The offsides have to be right.”

West Ham 1-1 Chelsea

INCIDENT: Chelsea thought they should have had a late penalty at West Ham for a handball by Thomas Soucek. Why is this not given?

DERMOT said: “It’s definitely a punishment. I’ve talked to a few people who don’t think it’s a punishment.

“VAR felt that this fall in the bracket fell and the arm hit the floor, and the ball hit the arm.

“If you look at Soucek, he doesn’t fall to the floor – he really drives to the ball. That’s the goalkeeper’s movement.

“I think that VAR gets seduced by – the idea of ​​falling on the floor. But again, if you look at it a few times, it’s definitely a handball penalty.”

Sue Smith: “It was really handball. I watched the game and I couldn’t believe it wasn’t given. There was no reason for him to go down other than handling the ball.”

Kevin Campbell: “As soon as I saw that I thought it was a penalty. This could have repercussions for Chelsea later down the line.”

Southampton 1-2 Wolves

INCIDENT: There was much initial confusion as to why Wolves’ Mario Lemina was sent off for his second yellow card against former club Southampton. Can you clear this for us?

DERMOT said: “He was on a yellow card and kept playing. I think he was talking to the referee during the game and when he stopped, he ran to the referee.

“The referee responded to what he said and felt it was a second yellow card and sent him off.

“Dissent is all about how the referee perceives it. Is it visual? Is it aggressive? Is it verbal?

“He felt it was Lemina who was going to do it and unfortunately he got a second yellow card.”

Sue Smith: “I thought it was a tough decision. I thought Jarred Gillett lost a little bit of control in the first round.”

Man City 3-1 Aston Villa

INCIDENT: Manchester City had a goal disallowed after the referee felt Erling Haaland had fouled Emiliano Martinez. Was it a good decision from the ref?

DERMOT said: “I think whether it was a mistake or not, with the goalkeeper stopped on the floor, you have to stop the game. But if you look at the way he went in, it was a free kick.”

INCIDENT: Jack Grealish wins Manchester City a penalty after a challenge from Jacob Ramsey. Gary Neville said it Super Sunday that Grealish played for that. Is it a punishment?

DERMOT said: “I think it’s a punishment. The push isn’t enough but he clips the heel.”

Kevin Campbell: “He made it look theatrical, but he scored.”