Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher reviewed some controversial moments from recent Premier League matches involving Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
Table of Contents
Incident 1: (Declan Rice) Arsenal vs. Brighton
- What happened: Declan Rice fouled Brighton’s Joel Veltman. After the foul, as Rice walked away, he lightly kicked the ball. Veltman seemed to be preparing to take the free kick, but instead, Rice was brought down by Veltman. Rice received a second yellow card for delaying the restart of play, leading to his sending off.
- Dermot Gallagher’s view: Players were warned at the start of the season that delaying the game could lead to a yellow card. Rice’s action, even if minor, prevented the game from restarting, and the referee had no choice but to give him a second yellow card.
- Stephen Warnock’s view: While Warnock didn’t think it was a severe offense, he acknowledged that it was still against the rules. Rice knew what he was doing, and by making that choice, he gave the referee no option.
- Sue Smith’s view: Smith agreed that while it was unfortunate, Rice was aware of what he was doing. The referee followed the rules, even if it wasn’t an easy decision.
Incident 2: (Jamie Vardy) Leicester City vs. Aston Villa
- What happened: Jamie Vardy had a goal disallowed because the ball hit the referee, David Coote, during the buildup to the goal.
- Dermot Gallagher’s view: According to the rules, if the ball hits the referee and directly helps an attacking move, play must be stopped. The referee made the correct decision because the ball’s deflection off him set up the Leicester player. The whistle had already been blown before the goal was scored.
- Stephen Warnock’s view: Warnock supported the decision, saying the ball would not have gone in that direction without hitting the referee. The Villa players had already stopped playing, knowing the decision was correct.
