Former top referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on a controversial decision during Nottingham Forest's draw against Everton over the weekend.
Forest earned a point with a 2-2 draw against Sean Dyche's team, with Everton opening the scoring with a Demarai Gray penalty after 10 minutes. Everton had appeals for a second spot kick waved away later in the game, when Seamus Coleman went down under contact from Jack Colback, but the referee said no.
Speaking on Sky Sports' ref watch, ex-Premier League official Dermot Gallagher explained that the decision was a correct one, giving his reasons why a penalty was not awarded to the visitors at the City Ground.
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“This is going to divide people,” he said. “I think this is actually not a penalty. I think Coleman catches Colback’s foot as he is about to shoot. And that is what throws him off balance.
“It wasn’t an outstretched foot from Colback. The McNeil one was a tackle.
Gallagher conceded that there are people who disagree with his view, and made a point about VAR: “It is what it is. I spoke with loads of people who thought it was a penalty. When it’s such a tough, tough call, then VAR won’t get involved.”
Was the referee right or did Forest get away with one? Let us know in the comments...
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