The ex-referee shared his views on the Everton penalty controversy from the weekend, but the Ref Watch panel disagreed with his conclusion
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes the match officials were right not to award Everton a penalty against Newcastle United on Saturday. The controversial moment came in the second half of the 0-0 draw when Dominic Calvert-Lewin appeared to be felled by Dan Burn.
The officials waved away the decision in real time and referee Craig Pawson was not advised to assess the decision on the pitchside monitor by the VAR on duty.
After the game, Everton manager Sean Dyche shared his disbelief at the decision. But speaking on Ref Watch on Sky Sports News on Monday morning, Gallagher said the call was correct.
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“I think Dan Burn has been clever and has put his foot across to protect the ball,” he said. “Dominic has kicked him in the back of the leg more than the other way around. So that’s why it’s not given.”
However, Gallagher’s co-panelists Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith were not in agreement, with both adamant that the Blues should’ve have a spot kick.
“I thought this was a penalty,” said former Liverpool defender Warnock. “One hundred per cent. There are a couple of instances where as a former full-back, if I had a player who was in front of me and I was trying to pinch the ball and that player puts their foot across. Then gets there – I will always get impeded trying to go into their space.
“But if you think about incidents where you run forward with the ball and that player trips you from behind they’ve now caught your standing leg. Burn does exactly the same.
“I was absolutely astonished this wasn’t given as a penalty. Calvert-Lewin is now in a motion of doing that (pulling his leg back) in a position where he’s going to strike the ball. And Burn makes contact with the back of his leg and takes him to ground. I’m still astounded that people don’t see it as Calvert-Lewin is in the ascendancy with his leg forward and Burn goes around him.
“Burn’s face as well…he goes down and it’s the look of ‘oh please don’t give that against me’.”
Smith also believed the match officials and the VAR made a mistake.
“It’s a penalty,” she said. “I completely agree. That’s surely Calvert-Lewin’s space. We talk about space and whose space is it, he’s about to shoot. And the fact Burn comes into his space means Calvert-Lewin hits Burn’s leg.”