'If you give them' - Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher's honest verdict on Leeds United penalty claim vs Sunderland
Leeds United saw strong claims for a first-half penalty against Sunderland waved away.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Leeds United should have been awarded a first-half penalty during Tuesday’s defeat at home to Sunderland.
Leeds saw calls for a spot-kick waved away by referee Stuart Attwell after Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien dragged Pascal Struijk down by the neck. Daniel Farke insisted it was ‘crazy’ VAR assistant Paul Tierney decided against recommending a review of the incident.
Farke’s side went on to lose 1-0 through Habib Diarra’s penalty which, somewhat ironically, was awarded for an Ethan Ampadu handball following a VAR review. But it was the missed decision on Struijk that left Leeds frustrated.
"I agree with Farke - if the referee looks at it again, he gives a penalty,” Gallagher told Sky Sports’ Ref Watch of the O’Nien incident. "You can't grab a player like that. You've got to go for the ball, you've got to look at the ball.
“He just hangs on to him for too long and his sole intention is to stop Struijk. It's a tough decision. There's three lots of grappling - it's not only O'Nien. They're all at it, so you've got to prioritise. There's so much to look at.
"If you give them, then it stops. If you're punished week in, week out and giving penalties away, you're going to stop doing it. That's the only deterrent. To not give it is no deterrent whatsoever."
Leeds had more than enough possession and territory to win the game regardless of that decision but were unable to break down a resolute Sunderland outfit. And their task became even harder midway through the second-half when Diarra’s penalty somehow squeezed beyond Karl Darlow.
Dermot Gallagher on Ethan Ampadu handball
Attwell again initially waved away claims for a penalty but with the ball out of play, was surrounded by Sunderland players. VAR assistant Tierney then recommended an on-field review which resulted in a spot-kick, just minutes after he correctly ruled out Joe Rodon’s header for offside.
On that incident, Gallagher said: "I think it's a really good spot by VAR Paul Tierney because without doubt it comes off Ampadu's thigh and it can't be handball, but then he definitely handles the ball away."
Few would argue against that decision being correct, with Ampadu making a secondary movement towards the ball with his arm. Rodon’s header was also correctly disallowed but the frustration came from O’Nien’s earlier foul which went unpunished.
"When he moves his arm towards the ball, it is where you say it's definitely a penalty,” former striker Jay Bothroyd added. “But that's an unfortunate situation because he hasn't done that on purpose; he's reacted, his arms gone towards the ball, it's an unfortunate situation, but it's definitely a penalty."
Leeds might also feel aggrieved that a massive handball decision also went against them during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City. With the Whites pushing to equalise, a cross struck Matheus Nunes on an arm that was raised to shoulder height, a natural position according to VAR.
That was one of several decisions by referee Peter Bankes that angered Farke, who was shown a red card after full-time for entering the field of play. The German is expected to begrudgingly accept his FA charge and subsequent one-game ban, which will be served during Sunday’s FA Cup meeting with Norwich City.