Ref Watch: Jack Grealish, Harry Kane and Callum McGregor decisions analysed by Dermot Gallagher

After a hectic weekend for VAR, the bones are picked by former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher out.
The Old Firm derby and the north London derby equally took centre stage over the weekend but there was lots of controversy with three red cards straight out throughout the Premier League, one angry Norwich manager and a new argument brewing on where the bar should lie on’clear and clear errors’.
So did Dermot see it? Here’s Sky Sports’ resident ref’s view…
INCIDENT: the goal of Henri Lansbury is ruled out since the referee’s whistle has gone, so that Jack Grealish can be reserved for simulation. VAR does not provide a penalty.
VERDICT Grealish didn’t dive.
DERMOT SAYS:”VAR was utilized partly on this. You have to go backwards on it. Was the whistle blown by the referee before the ball was hit by Lansbury? He did, there is no uncertainty. So there is no way the goal could be granted.
“You work backward, was it a punishment, did Gary Cahill make a filthy? The VAR says no and looks at that. I think they’re right, it wasn’t a foul, so you default back.
“Whether you like it or not, VAR could not do anything about that. All of it defaulted back into Kevin Friend.
“When the whistle hadn’t goneVAR would’ve checked whether the aim was valid, and the referee might have stated he believed that there wasn’t a simulation, so I’m likely to give that.
“They could check whether it’s a penalty, but they can’t check simulation. The referee made there, it is not the choice I would’ve made but he made it.
“There is three indications if we wait patiently. Since the referee chose to make his choice when he hit on you can look at.
“The referee’s mindset is that he’s gone over too readily, that he’s trying to win a punishment. I believed it was not a dip. I thought Cahill has made contact.”
INCIDENT: Harry Kane goes down under a challenge from Sokratis at the last moment from the Arsenal penalty area, but the referee and VAR equally pick against committing a spot-kick.
VERDICT: Right call.
DERMOT SAYS:”For me personally, certainly not a punishment. If you look, he takes his earth steps across him , sees Sokratis and goes into him. I thought Martin Atkinson not simply refereed a fantastic game in a manner that was fantastic, but he made this totally perfect.
“There is contact there, we still don’t not wanting a lot of yellows when contact’s left but I believe it’s not a penalty, that’s the key issue.”
INCIDENT: Youri Tielemans seems to stamp Callum Wilson, but after having a VAR review he is given a yellow card
VERDICT: Correctly managed based on just what the person saw.
DERMOT SAYS:”It does not hit the threshold, the bar is set very large. What shows it’s the very first clip you watch, a red card for me personally, a few people I have spoken to say it is not, precisely exactly the angle the referee sees, it does not look a red card. Throughout play it did not look a red.
“I think the threshold has to be that everyone’s going to go,’yeah we’re in this camp’.”
INCIDENT: Jonny Evans when the two players Opt for a 50/50, nothing is given by the participant is stood on by Jefferson Lerma
VERDICT: card.
DERMOT SAYS:”The referee did not see it give a filthy. It a yellow, and a second yellowish when you see it, however, the VAR can not intervene. The argument is, is it a red card challenge? When you look at the Tielemans one and that’s not given as a red, it would be quite difficult to give a red for that.”
INCIDENT: Ahead Jordan Jones is sent for Rangers, Ryan Jack and Callum McGregor tackles with significant force, on Boli Bolignoli and Scott Arfield, respectively. Neither is booked.
VERDICT: Right call.
DERMOT SAYS:”There’s a few of them. It moves in as low, and hard from McGregor. The referee actually plays on, I believe if he quits play he’ll give a card.
“With Jack, it is a yellow card in the best. He has gone in difficult. The two players are dedicated, it’s inevitable they are going to come back. He gets just a small bit on the ball”
INCIDENT: The chunk Seems to hit the hand minutes of Isaac Hayden before Fabian Schar scores to equalise for Newcastle, which goes unnoticed by the referee or VAR
VERDICT: Wrong call.
DERMOT SAYS:”It did not get picked up. Because they were attempting to keep the game and do it as soon as possible, whether that is, I do not know.
“However, what it will do, it’s all about manifestation and moving forward it is going to be – is it offside, is there a filthy, is there a handball – move through the record, and if it takes another 10 or 15 minutes then be it”
INCIDENT: Sebastien Haller not given penalty after obvious contact at the Norwich box, also the decision Doesn’t overturn
VERDICT decision.
DERMOT SAYS:”I think ti’s a punishment. The chunk is your hint, look at it and it moves off. It’s all about manifestation, the referees are fulfilling this week, it may be mentioned that the VAR may have got involved.
“It’s a continuous process, we’ve said it could take three years to iron out things. I mentioned at the start of the year that it’ll be a bumpy ride, maybe that’s just where they say it should have been overturned.”
INCIDENTS: Sebastian Farke is angered when Haller challenge on the alleged squat on Tom Trybull both of Andriy Yarmolenko and Christoph Zimmermann go unpunished
VERDICT: VAR wouldn’t overturn either choice.
DERMOT SAYS:”About the foul, I think he could be wrong to suggest it was not reviewed, it might well have been looked at but because the game was not stopped, it has looked at in play. It’s low, it is endangering his competitor or not dangerous. It’s certainly not a card.
“It’s quite tricky to say it is an elbow either. How quickly it occurs and if it’s skimmed into his chest possibly but I would not call it malicious or nasty.”