There was a red card for Brentford defender Ben Mee in their game against Aston Villa. Referee David Coote was very close to the incident and only showed a yellow card, but was recommended to have another look. It was then upgraded to a red card.
DERMOT SAYS: “I think the referee got this one right.
“We’ve seen a number of these tackles over the last few weeks. Whether they’ve been given on the field or by the VAR, they’ve been very consistent.
“The player is reaching for the ball and catching the opposition player on the shin with his studs. It’s inevitable it is a red card.”
INCIDENT: There was also a late red card for Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara. It came after a melee which started between Neal Maupay and Emiliano Martinez.
DERMOT SAYS: “It is pantomime season!
“I felt a little bit for Kamara. You cannot do what he did in the end but he started as the peacemaker. He tries to calm everybody down.
“But it is the hand in the face and it boils over too far. John McGinn even tells him he shouldn’t have done that. It all escalated very quickly to a red card that didn’t need to happen.”
West Ham 3-0 Wolves
INCIDENT: West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal was called a ‘lucky boy’ by Super Sunday pundits Daniel Sturridge and Roy Keane for an elbow on Wolves’ Jeanricner Bellegarde. He did not receive a booking for the incident.
DERMOT SAYS: “It has to be more than a free-kick, which is what the referee gave. How far he wants to go would be up to him but he has to sanction the player for that challenge.
“VAR did have a look but said it wasn’t enough for a red card.”
Should a former player be in the VAR room?
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher on Ref Watch:
“Lots of players tell me they should be. For me, I’m all for the best man for the job.
“I don’t care who it is, whether it is an ex-player or an ex-referee, it’s got to be the best person for the job. I’ve always felt that.”
Jay Bothroyd on Ref Watch:
“I think a former player would understand that Coufal’s challenge is very intentional.
“For me, a former player would help with decisions going forward.
“Maybe not for offsides but for tackles. if you’ve played the game, you’d understand if someone has intentionally tried to hurt someone.”
Newcastle 3-0 Fulham
INCIDENT: Referee Sam Barrott originally gave Raul Jimenez a yellow for a high challenge on Sean Longstaff. He caught the Newcastle midfielder in the face while jumping through the area. The referee was asked to have another look by VAR and it ended up being a red card.
DERMOT SAYS: “He was airborne and out of control. He pulls his foot away, I get that, but he can’t stop. It’s a red card.”
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