Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and a Sky Sports pundit felt very differently about one decision in Manchester United’s encounter with Newcastle.
Manchester United hosted Newcastle at Old Trafford on Boxing Day and the Red Devils secured all three Premier League points after grinding out a 1-0 result.
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Ruben Amorim watched on from the dugout as the Red Devils took control in the first half, with Patrick Dorgu breaking the deadlock for United in the 24th minute.
Despite United’s lead over Newcastle at the half-time whistle, the Magpies chased the contest after the break and the Red Devils were forced to weather the attack.
The Red Devils were able to cling to their lead from the first half and avoided blowing their advantage as they have done on different occasions this season.
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Dermot Gallagher’s telling verdict on the Lisandro Martinez incident in Man Utd’s 1-0 win over Newcastle
Newcastle’s hopes of a penalty in the second half of last Friday evening’s Premier League clash were scuppered, despite VAR’s initial intervention over the incident.
The ball struck the arm of Lisandro Martinez at close range in the Manchester United box and referee Anthony Taylor did not point to the penalty spot for Newcastle.
However, video assistant referee Stuart Attwell looked over the incident for a second time and later deemed that Lisandro Martinez was not at fault for a handball.
Lisandro Martinez was named captain with Bruno Fernandes injured
Do you like the decision from Ruben Amorim? Let us know what you think of his performance
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher believes that Stuart Attwell and Anthony Taylor made the correct decision not to award a penalty kick.
“Right call,” he said.
“I don’t think the referee can see it but it comes off his own chest and onto his arm. It bounces up onto his arm. I think it hits his chest.”
Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd reacts to Dermot Gallagher’s assessment of the Man Utd vs Newcastle penalty shout
Lisandro Martinez had protested his innocence after Fabian Schar’s close-range effort, from a Newcastle corner, struck the 27-year-old stand-in United captain.
The United ace had been trying to push Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw out of the way, but Jay Bothroyd felt that the call was not as simple as Gallagher had suggested.
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The Sky Sports pundit said: “I don’t think that’s conclusive. The terminology confused me, they didn’t even say it touched his chest.
“I don’t even know what ‘mutual contact’ means. Martinez is grappling. It looks like he’s tried to push the defender away; his hands are there and that’s an unnatural position.
“But if they said it hits his body and then his arms, we don’t have this conversation now.
“The terminology is confusing for me. They’re digging themselves a hole.”
United are sixth in the Premier League table and the Red Devils are only three points behind fourth-place Liverpool after the Newcastle result at Old Trafford.
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