Ref Watch: Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof’s handball against West Ham ‘clear penalty’ | Football news

Dermot Gallagher analyzes flash points from the weekend’s action, including Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof’s controversial handball incident against West Ham.

West Ham 1-0 Man United

INCIDENT: Let’s start with the match at London Stadium on Super Sunday. West Ham were denied a penalty as Lindelof appeared to move his hand towards the ball in the penalty area in the first half. Were you surprised it wasn’t stated?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “Lindelof is very lucky. It should have been a penalty.”

DERMOT SAYS: “I think he panics and moves his hand towards the ball. If a penalty kick was awarded, he could not object. VAR decided he hit his hand and the hand was in front of the body so it wasn’t extended. But you’d say when you throw your hand like that and move it towards the ball if you get a penalty you can’t argue.

“The feedback from PGMOL was that although his hand was extended, it hit his hand and his hand was in front of his body, so they were of the opinion that he focused on whether it was good or bad, no I know know.

“The handball rule is really strict. They felt his hand was in front of his body and didn’t make his body bigger, but I think because of the way he moved his hand towards the ball, that’s what convinced me it should have been a penalty.”

Stephen Warnock: “It’s a clear penalty and you can understand why David Moyes and West Ham were so furious about the decision. The referee on the pitch should be able to go to the monitor and look at it again.”

INCIDENT: VAR had another long hold on Tyrell Malacia’s challenge on Jarrod Bowen. The Manchester United left-back’s studs appeared to have hit the back of the West Ham striker’s leg. Was the yellow card a fair punishment or should it have been red?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “I thought it was a yellow card.

DERMOT SAYS: “It’s not a nice tackle, he catches it. It’s close and doesn’t come from far away, so it doesn’t pick up speed. It quickly descends from the back of his leg. It’s not like his foot is long going down. I think the judge was right.

Stephen Warnock: “Malacia knows what she’s doing, but the yellow card is the right decision.”

INCIDENT: West Ham striker Michail Antonio thought he had given the hosts 2-0 but referee Peter Bankes ruled he had fouled Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. Was there enough of it?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “It’s a foul on the goalkeeper”

DERMOT SAYS: “Antonio hit the keeper in the shoulder and stopped him from playing the ball. This is quite consistent with what we’ve seen over many seasons. Just hit the keeper in the shoulder a few inches and he loses the ball and that’s consistent with what we’ve seen, even in the seasons I’ve refereed.

“You have to be very careful with goalkeepers because they use their hands and if they get a little knocked out it makes a huge difference.”

Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal

INCIDENT: Now to St James’ Park and a penalty was canceled in Newcastle’s game against Arsenal. It was handballed by Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior but referee Chris Kavanagh was sent to the monitor for a look as it actually falls off his thigh first. Was it a good use of VAR?

DERMOT SAYS: “I said straight away that it would be disproven when I saw the angle the ball was hitting his thigh. I’m not even sure it hit his hand. If so, it will surely bounce off his body first.

“When VAR looked at it, I was pretty sure they were going to send it to the screen. I was equally sure that he would overthrow him.”

Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea

INCIDENT: Bournemouth felt they should have been awarded a penalty during the loss to Chelsea at Vitality when Dominic Solanke was beaten by Thiago Silva. Did striker Cherry get the ball first, or did the Brazilian land his attack perfectly?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “I don’t think it’s a punishment.

DERMOT SAYS: “When I first saw it, every instinct was that Silva must have played the ball because of where it was going. When I see it again, he doesn’t play the ball, Solanke plays the ball first. But when you look at it closely, Silva doesn’t make any real contact with Solanke either, he doesn’t actually hit him.

“Both players’ feet are touching the ground, so it’s not a penalty kick. Solanke is playing football, but Silva is not playing Solanke. Both of their feet are on the ground.”

Man City 2-1 Leeds

INCIDENT: Manchester City were awarded a penalty in a win over Leeds when Pascal Struijk sent Phil Foden to the ground. Can the left-back have any objections?

DERMOT SAYS: “I don’t think he has to make a tackle. When you put your foot out like that, I think it’s a penalty, especially when you see the incident from behind the goal. Struijk doesn’t get the ball and he gets Foden for sure.”

Wolves 1-0 vs Aston Villa

INCIDENT: Aston Villa’s screams for a penalty shot rang out to Molineux as the ball hit the shoulder of Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes. What have you done with it?

DERMOT SAYS: “There will always be a scream when it hits the shoulder, but that’s all it does. His arm is inside, it’s close to his body, and it’s always close to his body. It’s also so close you’re never going to get punished for it.”

Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Derby

INCIDENT: Derby missed the League One play-offs and their defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was a big moment. Curtis Davies gave away a penalty and received a red card for taking down Marvin Johnson. Was it the right decision?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “I’m not sure it was a foul.

DERMOT SAYS: “If it’s a foul, which I think is harsh, it’s certainly not a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity because you can see the goalkeeper and defender coming back.

“The striker is not heading towards the goal either. For me, it’s not a clear scoring opportunity.

Hearts 0-2 Celtic

INCIDENT: Now to Scotland, and Hearts defender Alex Cochrane has been sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity after the referee told him to go to the pitch monitor. Was it difficult to upgrade to a red card?

DERMOT’S VERDICT: “I think it’s a red card.

DERMOT SAYS: “One of my friends is a Hearts fan and he sent me a message saying he thinks it’s not right. But really, I think it’s a red card, and the reason I think it’s a red card is because at the moment of contact, the defender won’t catch the player.

“Cochrane knocks him down, he’s heading towards goal, the goalkeeper can’t pick up the ball and the law says ‘can he score?

“I understand why in a normal game it’s a yellow card because he can’t see it, but when he comes to the screen I think it’s an obvious red card.”