Plus: A handball call in Newcastle's draw with West Ham and a denied penalty in Burnley's draw with Sheffield United.
Thursday 30 July 2020 10:23, UK
In this week's Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher analyses a series of penalty calls, including two in Manchester United's win over Bournemouth, and assesses a foul by Watford's Etienne Capoue.
INCIDENT: The ball strikes Bournemouth defender Adam Smith in the box and Manchester United are awarded a penalty, which allows Marcus Rashford to put the hosts ahead at Old Trafford.
VERDICT: "Without a doubt he's blocked the ball going to an opponent. He's made no attempt to play the ball and I think that's why Mike Dean's given the penalty. His arm is outstretched and he's blocked the ball going to Matic. He makes no attempt to play the ball."
INCIDENT: Eric Bailly controls a wayward pass from Nemanja Matic with his upper arm and VAR confirmed he was inside the penalty area. Josh King scored the penalty.
VERDICT: "The officials reached the right decision between themselves which is good because it shows VAR works. Mike Dean has got the best view and he judged that Bailly took the ball on the top of his arm. But as the ball is in the air it's very difficult for him to tell at what point Bailly is but when you put the lines across he was just inside the area and VAR recommended that to the ref and gave the penalty, quite rightly.
INCIDENT: Etienne Capoue takes down Christian Pulisic in the box and Chelsea are awarded a penalty. However, Capoue - who is already on a yellow card - is not booked.
VERDICT: "He's gone in so fast that the minute Pulisic turns he's got to play the ball but Pulisic moves the ball away and he connects with him. It has to be a penalty, it's just the speed he goes in. The referee has a perfect view. Pulisic turned back into the box, so he hasn't stopped a promising attack or created chance. I think a penalty was sufficient. Not a yellow card, for me.
INCIDENT: Jonjo Shelvey fires a shot at goal from range but it strikes West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna in the box. No penalty is given.
VERDICT: [Ogbonna] would be very, very, very upset if this was given as a penalty. It's a very short distance from Shelvey's shot, his arm is tucked into his side, you could even argue he's trying to get his arm away from the ball if anything. He doesn't make himself bigger. Just play on.
INCIDENT: Erik Pieters swings a boot at a Sheffield United corner, misses and the ball strikes his hand in the Burnley penalty area. No penalty is awarded.
VERDICT: "I think this is one of the biggest talking points of the weekend. People have said, 'why isn't this a penalty, it didn't come off his body" but if you see, he makes such a genuine attempt to kick the ball - and makes a hash of it - it bounces up and you see him putting his hand behind his back. He tries to pull it away. So you'd be very, very hard pressed to give a penalty for that.
