Dermot Gallagher rules on controversial Leeds United v Newcastle United incident | OneFootball

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The Mag

·25 January 2022

Dermot Gallagher rules on controversial Leeds United v Newcastle United incident

Article image:Dermot Gallagher rules on controversial Leeds United v Newcastle United incident

Dermot Gallagher reviews controversial decisions in the Premier League after each round of games, on behalf of Sky Sports.

The former top referee has now given his call on this incident in the Leeds v Newcastle match.


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Dermot Gallagher looking at a key incident, with Newcastle United having gone a goal up and looking for a second to kill the game in the closing stages..

The incident:

In the 85th minute and with Newcastle leading 1-0, Allan Saint-Maximin getting into the Leeds penalty area.

The Frenchman checking back and going to ground when challenged by Robin Koch in the Leeds penalty area.

The Leeds player clearly appearing to catch and take down Allan Saint-Maximin but referee Chris Kavanagh, who was perfectly positioned, somehow didn’t give the penalty.

Then Newcastle fans waited for the break in play and for VAR official Kevin Friend to correct things, by directing Kavanagh to look at the pitchside monitor to put right his mistake, only for that not to happen and no VAR directed review and no penalty.

Dermot Gallagher talking to Sky Sports about that Allan Saint-Maximin incident:

Sky Sports presenter:

“How did Allan Saint-Maximin not get a penalty here?”

Dermot Gallagher:

“Emmmm…difficult to say.

“The referee is very well placed.

“He says no.

“I think he [referee Chris Kavanagh] thinks that because he [Allan Saint-Maximin] comes back and the way he falls, sells it to him that he [ASM] has got minimal contact [from Robin Koch] and then gone down too easily. So said no [to a penalty].”

“[A] Penalty for you?”

“Emmmm…I didn’t think so on Saturday.

“The more I look at it, [I] might sway [to say it was a penalty]…”

Dermot Gallagher has a reputation for being too willing to stick to the unwritten code of backing up other referees, not wanting to be seen to be too critical of this current lot of match officials, both VAR and on the pitch. Yet even he on this occasion, in the end has to admit that it was a penalty.

Whereas with another former top referee, Keith Hackett, there was no holding back when he reviewed the incident at Elland Road, calling it our perfectly…’This was a penalty. This is a foul, it’s inside the penalty area. Only one course of action – Award a penalty kick. It’s nailed on. Incompetent officiating.’

Stats from BBC Sport:

Leeds 0 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 22 January 3pm

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Goals:

Leeds:

Newcastle:

Shelvey 75

Possession was Leeds 63% (64%) Newcastle 37% (36%)

Total shots were Leeds 13 (8) Newcastle 15 (9)

Shots on target were Leeds 4 (1) Newcastle 3 (1)

Corners were Leeds 6 (4) Newcastle 7 (3)

Crowd: 36,405 (2,690 Newcastle)

Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Newcastle United:

Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles (Clark 69), Schar, Dummett (Manquillo 63), Shelvey, Willock, Fraser, Joelinton (Sean Longstaff 42), Saint-Maximin, Wood

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Lewis, Hendrick, Murphy, Almiron, Gayle

(3 Positives and 3 Negatives from Leeds 0 Newcastle 1 – Read HERE)

(Match Report – Danger at the turnstiles for Newcastle fans but no danger of giving up this lead at Leeds – Read HERE)

(Marcelo Bielsa blames himself and match officials after Newcastle United beat Leeds United – Read HERE)

(Eddie Howe reacts to essential away day win at Leeds – ‘Heroic’ players and ‘Brilliant’ fans – Read HERE)

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