Ref Review: The controversial decisions from matchday 14

Marcos Rojo: Lucky to escape red card

Marcos Rojo: Lucky to escape red card

Our panel discuss several highly-contested decisions in the Premier League this weekend, with a string of debatable incidents in the Man City v Chelsea clash coming under the microscope.

Refereeing decisions are regularly the source of debate among fans, pundits, players and managers so this season a five-strong TEAMtalk panel will be passing judgement on every red card (or avoidance of one), every penalty and any other major incident every matchday.

We’ll also decide on a weekly basis which side can consider themselves most fortunate and which was the easiest decision for a match official to make.

 

David Luiz possible red card v Chelsea

Sergio Aguero was about to run through on goal when nemesis David Luiz bodychecked him and sent the Argentinian, somewhat theatrically, sprawling to the floor.

Ref Anthony Taylor seemed ready to blow for a professional foul and thus send Luiz for an early bath, before seemingly having a last-moment change of heart and allowing play to continue.

It was a pivotal moment in the match, with the scoreline at 0-0, and had Luiz seen red, not only would Chelsea’s shape had to have changed, we’d also not have witnessed the nasty incident to follow…

VerdictIncorrect decision

 

Sergio Aguero red card v Chelsea

David Luiz and Sergio Aguero: Clashed again on Saturday

Aguero and Luiz have had beef in the past but his knee high lunge on the Brazilian was unforgivable. The tackle deserved the reddest of red cards and sparked a mass brawl in injury-time that involved most of the players, while both benches also got involved.

The Argentine, arguably the best striker currently plying his trade in the Premier League, can now expect a four-match ban having already been suspended for an elbow on West Ham’s Winston Reid earlier in the season.

VerdictCorrect decision

 

Fernandinho red card v Chelsea

The shameful TV dust-up was sparked by Aguero’s shocking two-footed lunge on Luiz but in the ensuing melee Fernandinho’s reaction to being slapped by Cesc Fabregas was straight out of the WWE. He aggressively put his left hand round the Spaniard’s throat on a couple of occasions before pushing him over an advertising hoarding.

Awful, just awful – even if (in the words of MOTD pundit Chris Sutton) “Fabregas looked as though he was auditioning for a role in Coronation Street”.

Verdict Correct decision

 

Tottenham penalty v Swansea

Dele Alli: Appeals successfully for a penalty

Man in black John Moss hit the headlines last weekend after sending Jose Mourinho to the stands at Old Trafford for booting a water bottle, but the whistler got it all wrong at White Hart Lane.

With the game still goalless, Dele Alli went to ground in the box with a tumble so theatrical Laurence Olivier would have been roaring his approval. It was an awful, almost comical call.

Former Spurs man Kyle McNaughton, who pulled out of a potential challenge and made zero contact, was raging. Alli should have been booked and advised to get a grip. Instead Moss pointed to the spot and Harry Kane converted before the floodgates opened and hapless Swansea were mauled 5-0.  In short, an absolute mess from Moss.

Verdict Incorrect decision

 

Alexis Sanchez third goal v West Ham

Chilean Sanchez was virtually unplayable at the London Stadium and nobody can argue he didn’t deserve to take home the match ball. Our Monday Verdict raved about his performance and looks at how much better Arsenal are with Alexis playing as a central striker.

However if you are applying the letter of the law you’d have to say his hat-trick goal should have been called for offside by ref Craig Pawson moments before he dummies and then deliciously chips over Darren Randolph to make it 5-1.

Arsenal were out of sight by then anyway and nobody seemed to mind judging by the reaction of the West Ham ball boys who stopped Sanchez for selfies as he left the pitch at the final whistle.

Verdict Incorrect decision

 

Roberto Pereyra red card v West Brom

Roberto Pereyra: Saw red

Aguero was not the only Argentine in bother on Saturday. Watford’s Pereyra reacted badly when sub James McClean blasted the ball against him when he was grounded.

When he got up, the former Juventus man seemed to lash out with a stray boot and shove the Ireland international. Hornets boss Walter Mazzarri was furious that McClean wasn’t also dismissed but can have few complaints about Pereyra being forced off for an early bath.

Mazzarri was scathing of referee Graham Scott and could face an FA charge after saying afterwards “The referee has been terrible and he changed the result of the game. We played a great game that was influenced by the referee.”

Verdict Correct decision

 

Bournemouth penalty appeal v Liverpool

Eddie Howe: Unhappy with referee display

Big call on the south coast this. 37 minutes into the Cherries’ clash with Liverpool, who were 2-0 up and cruising, Nathan Ake went down in the box after his knees clashed with Roberto Firmino’s. The look on the Brazilian’s face suggested there had definitely been contact and replays seemed to back this up.

Ake of course would later have the last laugh. “All we want is a decent referee,” sang the home fans afterwards. They’ll struggle to reach Christmas Number One with such lyrics but perhaps they had a point.

Verdict Incorrect decision

 

Bournemouth penalty v Liverpool

James Milner: Gutted after conceding a penalty

The second-half introduction of Ryan Fraser produced absolute bedlam in Bournemouth. He was on for pitch for less than 40 minutes but turned the game on its head and the Scot initially got the Cherries motoring after winning a penalty on 55 minutes. He raced into the right channel of the Reds box and lured ‘Mr Dependable’ James Milner into a rash tackle.

Milner knew what he’d done and immediately covered his face like a young boy hearing his mother break wind as Robert Madley leisurely pointed to the spot.

Verdict Correct decision

 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal v Everton

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Decisive for United again

Just what was Maarten Stekelenburg  thinking? As the game on Merseyside meandered towards half-time without either side having mustered a single shot on target Anthony Martial lobbed a hopeful lump forward.

The Dutch goalkeeper then inexplicably raced out of his area but was beaten to the ball by former Ajax team-mate Ibrahimovic, who lobbed him. Time then stood still for a second or two at Goodison Park before the ball eventually dropped into the net via crossbar and post. The goal was eventually given by goal-line technology after the ball was cleared by a Toffees defender.

Verdict Correct decision

 

Marcos Rojo red card escape v Everton

 

When even former Manchester United defender (and general Red Devils cheerleader) Gary Neville says it’s a “red card, a shocker of a challenge” then Rojo must know he’s got away with one.

With 16 minutes on the clock Rojo jumps in two-footed on Idrissa Gueye and in truth it’s an horrific, horrific challenge. Steaming in aggressively at pace with studs showing, it’s a straight red from here to Buenos Aires.

Incredibly ref Michael Oliver went into his pocket and wafted a yellow at the Argentina international, much to the utter bemusement of the Goodison Park faithful.

Verdict Incorrect decision

 

Team most likely to feel brassed off award

Swansea

Bob Bradley: First US manager in Premier League

In the end the Swans were overwhelmed and ended up on the wrong end of a 5-0 pasting. However it was 0-0 when Alli won his side a penalty with the most audacious of dives. Swansea boss Bob Bradley was philosophical afterwards when he said “Did Dele Alli dive? Certainly it was a game changer.”

 

Stonewall decision of the week

Aguero’s red card for Manchester City against Chelsea

It was high, it was late and it was ugly. The only mystery was how the Argentine’s challenge didn’t cause Luiz a more serious injury. Pep Guardiola refused to condemn his main striker post-match but privately he will be seething that Aguero will now miss some crunch games for the club – including the December 18 clash with title rivals Arsenal.