Ref Watch: Sabitzer ‘lucky’ to avoid red | ‘Spurs should have been awarded pen’

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the weekend in the latest round of Ref Watch.

Gallagher also discussed the departure of Video Assistant Referee Lee Mason from the PGMOL last week, having left by mutual consent, following his high-profile error in Arsenal’s draw with Brentford.

He said: “I’m not really surprised. He had a tough ride last week and he’s had a few incidents before. Maybe he spoke to the leadership team and felt it wasn’t working for him, and they felt the same.”

INCIDENT: Marcel Sabitzer caught Wout Faes below on the knee with his studs up. It sent the Leicester defender rolling to the floor and despite the clumsy challenge, the Man Utd midfielder was not penalized.

DERMOT SAYS: “He was extremely lucky. I think it’s a red card. If you put your studs into someone’s knee that high, it’s dangerous.

“The one thing it can’t be is a free-kick only. The referee should punish on the field. Maybe the VAR thinks Sabitzer has come to a short distance so he doesn’t think there’s an impact.

“It’s all about the referee’s decision – if he gives a red card and was thrown to VAR, it would never get overturned.

“One of the problems for VAR is the referee gave a free-kick against (Wout) Weghorst, so by giving a free-kick against him, he’s signalled to the VAR that he’s seen it and dealt with it.”

INCIDENT: Tottenham thought they should have had a penalty in the first half. Richarlison’s attempted pass to Harry Kane was stopped by the hand of Thilo Kehrer. However, nothing was given by the referee and VAR did not intervene.

DERMOT SAYS: “I think it’s handball and the referee has got to give it because Kehrer has his arm out. If he doesn’t then it goes to Harry Kane.

“The referee has a good view of it and he waves it away. When he talks to VAR, he might have said ‘I feel he’s falling back and off balance and he’s going to go to ground and block the ball.

“The referee has eliminated VAR there to a certain extent there. The only way you’re going to get a penalty is for VAR to give it.

“The VAR is not there to decide right or wrong, it’s there if it’s an absolute howler… Michael Oliver hasn’t got the option to go to the screen. He can’t just think ‘I should have another look at that’, it’s not his choice.

“If VAR said to him ‘you might want to go and have a look at that, we think it’s an error’, he can still go to the screen and stick with his decision. But it’s got to be triggered the other way.”

INCIDENT: Nick Pope was sent off after handling outside his area. He came out to meet a long pass with Mohamed Salah chasing it down, but his attempt at a sliding clearance saw the ball strike his hand.

Sean Longstaff was behind him, raising the question of whether Pope was the last man.

DERMOT SAYS: “Red card. Denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. If he hadn’t handled the ball, Salah would be in control of the ball, going towards goal.

“It’s not that he (Salah) has to score a goal, it’s if he has a chance of getting a clear shot on goal.