Newcastle United’s disallowed goal against Crystal Palace should not have stood and a penalty should have been awarded, according to former referee Dermot Gallagher.
Ex-Premier League referee Gallagher has been speaking on the latest round of Ref Watch on Sky Sports News after another weekend of controversial VAR decisions.
And Newcastle were certainly at the centre of the controversy during their goalless draw against the Eagles, with Tyrick Mitchell’s own goal ruled out in the second half.
It was judged that Newcastle’s Joe Willock had fouled Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita in the lead-up to Mitchell converting into his own net.
However, there has been uproar from those on Tyneside suggesting the goal should have stood, with the Newcastle midfielder seemingly pushed into the Spanish shot-stopper – but Gallagher had a different viewpoint.
Gallagher said: “He can either give a penalty, which I think it is, because I think it’s a foul, and I think that it’s on safe ground. Or he can take the option he did, which I think is the worst option.
“But I think that option was arisen at because he was driven down a very narrow path of viewing that incident rather than the whole scene.”
And when asked to confirm his verdict of a Newcastle penalty, Gallagher replied: “Absolutely.”
TIF Thoughts on Gallagher’s comments…
There will obviously be some who disagree with Gallagher’s verdict given the ball ended up in the back of the net anyway, which is what the penalty will have provided Newcastle with the opportunity to do.
Do you agree with Gallagher?Yes, penalty!
No, goal all day!
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We think it is an almost comical decision from Lee Mason at Stockley Park, with Willock clearly pushed and actually put at serious risk of injury by the Palace defender.
Given the outcome which unfolded at St. James’ Park, Newcastle fans would have certainly taken a penalty, however, this was a dreadful example of officiating from an experienced referee in charge of operating VAR.