Ref Watch: Mosquera antics didn't deserve red – but Schar headbutt did

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher is back to assess the controversial moments from the weekend’s action – plus have your say on the major incidents…

Should Eze’s free-kick have stood? ‘Ref closed off all his options’

INCIDENT: Referee Sam Barrott penalises Crystal Palace midfielder Will Hughes for a foul on Brentford defender Nathan Collins moments before Eberechi Eze’s free-kick finds the net. Eze said Barrott later apologised for mistakenly disallowing the goal.

DERMOT SAYS: It’s certainly an unusual incident. The only thing that will come from it is they will learn. Sam will learn.

The best players create time on the ball and the best referees create time. If he had just waited one second… but blowing when he did, he’s closed all his options. He’s got nowhere to go.

That one second would have allowed the ball to go into the net. When the ball’s in the net, it’s dead and he’s got time to review what he wants to do.

He eliminated the VAR by blowing his whistle.

Cash and Soucek collide in the box – ‘stick with the ref!’

INCIDENT: Referee Tony Harrington awarded West Ham a penalty for a challenge from Matty Cash on Tomas Soucek in the box, despite the Aston Villa defender putting a toe on the ball.

DERMOT SAYS: Cash touched the ball, there’s no doubt about that. Does touching the ball negate a foul? No.

I do know a lot of people think this isn’t a foul. That’s why you have to stick with the referee’s call because it’s so tight.

Should Everton have been awarded a penalty? Dermot and Sue disagree!

INCIDENT: Referee Simon Hooper initially awards Everton a penalty when a sliding Lewis Dunk makes contact with Dominic Calvert-Lewin – but overturns his decision after being advised to review the incident by VAR Darren England.

DERMOT SAYS: I thought it was a really good intervention by the VAR because Dominic Calvert-Lewin stands on Dunk’s foot.

That’s what knocks him off balance. I don’t think it’s a foul and the VAR quite rightly alerts the referee.

When I saw that I didn’t think it was a penalty, and that’s what you want the VAR for.

SUE SMITH: As Dunk goes down, he goes into Calvert-Lewin’s space. Calvert-Lewin’s trying to turn and shoot and he treads on Dunk.

It impedes him being able to take a shot. Dunk going down early stops Calvert-Lewin being able to take a shot.

I don’t think this should have been overturned.

Should Schar have seen red? ‘Brereton Diaz was pathetic!’

INCIDENT: Newcastle’s Fabian Schar is sent off by referee Craig Pawson for moving his head towards Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz.

DEMOT SAYS: I don’t think [Pawson has another option]. Schar will probably look back and think ‘I didn’t need to do that’.

The referee’s not got much choice but Brereton Diaz didn’t do him any favours with the way he went down.

But he will argue Schar put his head into his and it’s a red card.

It’s hard to say it’s not a red card.

WARNOCK SAYS: I don’t like it all. It’s not a red card. There’s not enough aggression.

That was Brereton Diaz also putting his head in. What happens if both players go down in that situation? Do you send both off?

Brereton Diaz is embarrassing. That’s shocking doing that to a fellow pro. It’s pathetic.

Mosquera gets hands on at the Emirates – but ref makes the right call

INCIDENT: Yerson Mosquera and Kai Havertz came together in a bizarre clash that resulted in Mosquera appearing to place his hand on the Arsenal forward’s throat while falling to the ground.

DERMOT SAYS: I didn’t think it would be a red – only he knows how much force he applies. He’s got to put his hand somewhere but does he have to put it there? I’m not convinced.

I think it’s aggressive but not violent. The referee sees it different to them being stood up. It was probably the right decision.

INCIDENT: Mosquera reached over from in front of Gabriel Jesus and grabbed the forward’s backside, trying to push him out of the way of a Wolves free kick. Jesus was booked for his reaction.

DERMOT SAYS: They want to take the free kick and he’s trying to move him out of the way. Right call.

INCIDENT: Bukayo Saka goes down in the box after a coming together with Toti.

DERMOT SAYS: No penalty for Saka – he stands on the ball himself. There was minimal contact but not enough to give a penalty.

WARNOCK SAYS: I’m a big fan of Saka, I really like him but there’s a real feeling on social media that he’s getting a reputation for himself.

He’s got to be careful because he does go down very easily in situations in the box and refs will be aware of that.

INCIDENT: Jurrien Timber appears to have both hands on Hee-Chan Hwang’s back in the box.

DERMOT SAYS: He gets a little shove but the initial contact is outside the box. Even if it was a foul, it would have been outside the box and would have been a free kick.

‘Kovacic avoided penalty because of new guidelines’

INCIDENT: Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic blocks Malo Gusto’s pass with his arm in the box – but referee Anthony Taylor does not award a penalty to Chelsea.

DERMOT SAYS: No penalty. I’m all for the new interpretation – it’s so close and his arms are going towards his body.

It does hit him, there’s no doubt, but this year we’re going to see a lot less penalties given.

When we did the briefing last week – which I was on – it was explained that, under the new guidance, it’s no penalty.

I’m more comfortable with that interpretation.

Ipswich’s aggressive return to the top flight – ‘Burns is lucky’

INCIDENT: Omari Hutchinson slides in on Ryan Gravenberch and is shown a yellow card. Should it have been more?

DERMOT SAYS: The referee doesn’t think it’s a yellow. I think it’s a yellow.

It’s a reckless challenge – he doesn’t need to make it. Not nice but not a red card.

INCIDENT: Wes Burns swipes at the ball while he is on the ground. Liverpool claimed it should have been a second yellow card for the forward but no sanction was given.

DERMOT SAYS: I do think it’s a handball. Burns is really lucky. He quite clearly swipes at the ball.

Burns also gets lucky because he’s stopping a promising attack as another Ipswich player is coming across. The covering player saves him from getting a yellow card.

INCIDENT: Luis Diaz is taken down by the Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton after getting his shot away in the six-yard box.

DERMOT SAYS: We see this all the time. There’s always going to be contact. Diaz goes into him.

We’ve got to be fair to everybody. In that situation, it would be harsh to give a penalty.

WARNOCK SAYS: We see this time and time again, goalkeepers get away with this when there’s contact.

Why do goalkeepers get away with that when anywhere else on the pitch it’s a free-kick?