Ref Watch: Dermot Gallagher gives verdict on goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Nick Pope | Football News

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the big flashpoints from the weekend’s action, with scrambling goalkeepers in the spotlight…

Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester

INCIDENT: Jacob Ramsey scores for Aston Villa but his goal is ruled out by VAR for a foul on Kasper Schmeichel, who is deemed to have control of the ball.

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « Schmeichel goes to grab the ball after losing it. Ramsey challenges him and puts the ball in the net. The law says that if Schmeichel has his hand on the ball when it’s on the ground, he can’t be challenged. People will argue he’s lost the ball afterwards but what you would say is that when he’s got his hand on the ball, that’s when Ramsey challenges him. »

Stephen Warnock: « When you slam your hand on the ball, it’s very difficult to keep it on the ground flat – it’s always going to come back up. There’s a gap! »

Rob Wotton: « But there’s no contact here. He hasn’t challenged yet. »

Dermot: « Is Ramsey not challenging for that ball now? You’re just saying he’s not kicking the ball. We have to give a foul there. In law, the VAR was correct. »

INCIDENT: Leicester appealed for a penalty when Douglas Luiz appeared to trip Desbury-Hall inside the area. Were they hard-done-by?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « There are three options here: penalty, simulation or do nothing. The referee has picked the third and I think he’s right. I don’t think there’s enough contact for a penalty but I don’t think it’s a dive. Last year that definitely would have been a penalty – there’s no doubt in my mind about that – but we watched the Euros and people embraced the higher tolerance level. It was decided this year that wouldn’t be a penalty because the tolerance level has been raised and there was not enough contact. »

INCIDENT: James Maddison kicks out at Villa substitute Carney Chukwuemeka. Should he have seen red?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « This must be so frustrating for the player, the referee, because the only power he’s got is a yellow card. It’s so cynical but in law, it’s only a yellow. »

Newcastle 1-0 Burnley

INCIDENT: Callum Wilson scored the only goal of the game when Nick Pope spilled Joe Willock’s cross? But was Pope fouled?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « I think Pope goes through [Fabian] Schar. He connects with Schar rather than the other way round. Pope’s momentum takes him into Schar, and that’s what forces him to lose the ball. There’s a little bit of contact with [Jamaal] Lascelles but it’s minimal. He’s still got the ball in his hands then. »

Watford 1-3 Man City

INCIDENT: Should Watford have had a penalty when Rodri clipped Emmanuel Dennis?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « I think it was a coming-together. There’s a little clip but I think it’s a delayed reaction. The foot does make contact but I go back to what we said about the tolerance level and the impact of the contact. »

Southampton 1-1 Brighton

INCIDENT: Southampton want a penalty for an apparent handball and then a foul after a passage of play that sees Shane Duffy thwart Nathan Tella.

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « I think the first one can’t be a penalty because he’s falling and his arm’s supporting his body. As he gets up, he then clearly gets the ball before Tella. It’s a good tackle. »

INCIDENT: Tella then gets booked for a flailing arm that leaves Joel Veltman with a bloodied nose. Was that sufficient punishment?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: « He’s caught him with his arm; it’s not one where he’s drawn his elbow back and planted it into his face as a weapon. Because he’s close, he doesn’t get the impact as if he’d done it from distance but it’s not a very wise thing to do. »