Dermot Gallagher has delivered a definitive verdict on the controversy in the Newcastle v Everton game on Saturday.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford dropped the ball in his area and then took Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon out with a rugby-like tackle.
Newcastle were awarded a penalty but Pickford was let off with a yellow card.
Talking on Ref Watch on Sky Sports (Monday, 10am), Gallagher was asked why it wasn’t a red card.
“I just can’t explain it,” Gallagher said. “There’s no defence whatsoever not to send him off because Pickford’s grabbed him round the waist.
“There’s no intent to go for the ball. He’s stopped Rondon getting to the ball. It’s a penalty and a red card.”
OPINION
This was a really odd decision by the referee who just bottled a big decision. And it almost came back to haunt Newcastle. The Newcastle penalty was saved by Pickford and almost immediately Everton went up the other end and scored their second goal. However, justice was perhaps served later in the game when Pickford parried the ball out to a grateful Ayoze Perez, who scored two goals to give Newcastle a brilliant 3-2 win. That takes them up to 34 points, perhaps six off safety with eight games left. That will be hugely satisfying for Rafa Benitez and Newcastle fans, and although they won’t count their chickens until they’re mathametically safe, they’ll surely be lining up in the top-flight again this season. Pickford would be sent off for this next season, with VAR in place.