Dermot Gallagher breaks down big Leeds United decision as Wolves 'argument' posed
Leeds United’s late penalty against Wolves on Saturday was analysed by the former Premier League referee.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher agreed with the decision to award Leeds United a late penalty during Saturday’s 3-0 win at home to Wolves.
Leeds were given the chance to secure a three-goal lead and all three points in second-half added-time, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin fouled by Hugo Bueno. The striker was played through on goal by substitute Willy Gnonto but tripped under the challenge of his opponent before shooting, with referee Farai Hallam pointing to the spot
A VAR review adjudged him to have made the correct decision. The Premier League Match Centre wrote on X: “The referee’s call of penalty and a yellow card to Hugo Bueno was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that he tripped Calvert-Lewin as he attempted to play the ball.”
Calvert-Lewin buried the subsequent penalty to make it 3-0, scoring his 11th Premier League goal in the process. The incident was looked back on during Sky Sports’ Ref Watch on Monday, with Hallam’s decision backed.
“I think the ball is the clue, isn’t it?” Gallagher said. “If he touches the ball, it’s a different decision but he doesn’t touch the ball does he? What he’s done is come across the forward.
“The argument is that Calvert-Lewin kicks the back of Bueno. But he kicks the back of him because he’s put himself there to block Calvert-Lewin from getting to the ball.”
Jay Bothroyd’s verdict on Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty
Leeds had been 2-0 up for 70 minutes prior to the award of that penalty thanks to a lightning start against their struggling Elland Road visitors. James Justin scored an acrobatic finish from a second-phase set-play with Noah Okafor rounding off a rapid counter-attack less than 90 seconds later.
Daniel Farke’s side took their foot off the gas a little, with Karl Darlow forced into an excellent reflex save before Adam Armstrong saw a goal ruled out for offside. Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick proved the icing on the cake of a brilliant six-point week for the Whites.
“This one could have gone either way, and I’m always going to side with the forward,” former striker Jay Bothroyd added. “When you look at it, there’s an angle from the right hand side, and it looks like Calvert-Lewin was obviously going to shoot and the defender has got his foot around him in front of him to stop him shooting.
“At that moment, when he’s put his leg across him, he’s not actually won the ball at the same time. I think if he touches the ball at the same time, it's not a penalty but because he stops Calvert-Lewin from having a shot, I think that’s why it should have been a penalty.
“With Calvert-Lewin, even though he’s let the ball go across him, he’s about to shoot. He’s in control of the ball, his next movement is going to be a shot whereas the defender is just trying to block Calvert-Lewin from shooting.”