Ref Watch: Mahrez goal good

Ref Watch is back to debate another selection of controversial decisions from some of the weekend’s football matches in England and Spain.

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher joined host Rob Wotton in the Sky Sports News HQ studio to analyse a number of contentious calls.

From vital goals to offside goals, yellow cards not given to questionable penalty decisions, and even a red card for a manager through no fault of his own, we have it all covered in this week’s edition.

MATCH: Liverpool v Newcastle United, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT: Daniel Sturridge’s second-minute goal is allowed to stand despite the player looking offside.

SCENARIO: A long ball is played upfield to Sturridge, who is positioned between two defenders. When he comes into shot on television pictures, the striker appears to be in an offside position – although replays show him to have come from an onside position when the ball was played. Sturridge chests the ball down, takes a touch then turns and shoots low into the bottom corner to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead, with referee Andre Marriner and his assistant Stephen Child allowing the goal to stand.

GALLAGHER’S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: “It’s a top-drawer decision and you can see why these guys are in the Premier League. It’s a close call and it’s their first decision of the game as well. Child has hit the ground running and it’s a class, class decision.”

MATCH: Liverpool v Newcastle United, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT: Roberto Firmino scores but has his goal disallowed for offside.

SCENARIO: James Milner collects the ball on the right wing, cuts inside and crosses to Joe Allen, whose header is palmed away by Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Firmino is waiting at the back post and after the rebound falls to him, he takes a touch with his thigh before tapping in on the line. The goal is not allowed to stand, with assistant referee Harry Lennard flagging it off.

GALLAGHER’S VERDICT: Correct decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: “I think the interesting thing here is if it goes in during the first phase of play, Harry doesn’t flag. What happens though is the ‘keeper saves it and by then Firmino is in an offside position as he follows it up. It would have been a goal initially had Allen’s header gone in but once it was saved, Firmino was offside. Harry has kept his focus on the player who has gone forward and disallowed it correctly.”

MATCH: Liverpool v Newcastle United, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT: Papiss Cisse escapes a yellow card after colliding with Dejan Lovren and conceding a free kick.

SCENARIO: A high ball drops with Cisse and Lovren jostling to win possession. The players come together with Cisse’s right arm outstretched. Lovren falls to the ground and lands on his knees with his face down and coughing, whereas Cisse goes on to contest the loose ball before play is stopped and Marriner gives a foul against him for his challenge on Lovren. No caution is issued.

GALLAGHER’S VERDICT: Wrong decision.

GALLAGHER SAYS: “I didn’t think it was an elbow. It wasn’t very nice because if you see it, Cisse has looked for it and has caught him with his forearm across the throat. It’s reckless and I think he should have got a yellow card. The good thing about it is the lad looked very bad at the time and was a lot better afterwards. It didn’t cause the damage it could have done.”

MATCH: Liverpool v Newcastle United, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT: Cheick Tiote trips Sturridge in the area but no penalty is given.

SCENARIO: Sturridge cuts into the penalty area from the right and after a stepover, turns to his right away from Tiote and then right again before being brought down. Tiote’s right knee appears to catch the England striker’s right knee but referee Marriner waves play on and does …

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