Ref Watch: Jordan Pickford was lucky not to concede a penalty – and Pervis Estupinan should have been sent off, says Dermot Gallagher | Football News

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher assesses the controversial moments from the weekend's action, including Jordan Pickford's rash challenge at Mala Gust and Pervis Estupinan's lucky escape at West Ham.

Everton 0-0 Chelsea

INCIDENT: Jordan Pickford avoided any action after jumping on the feet of Mal Gust during the first half of Everton's 0-0 draw with Chelsea. Referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR Graham Scott assessed that Pickford did not seriously threaten his opponent.

DERMOT SAYS: I wonder if the referee was in the best position to see that. Pickford chose not to be a goalkeeper here, he chose to be an outfield player. If the defender makes that challenge, a penalty will be awarded.

He leaps through the air, the only reason he gets the ball is because it touches his backside on a pass. He doesn't get the ball, the ball actually bounces off him.

SUE SMITH SAYS: Gusto is doing him a favor. That's the minimum penalty, if not a red card. He is dangerous and does not touch the ball with his feet. If you run out at that pace, you have to win the ball. The fact that he doesn't make him a happy boy.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: Pickford twists his body. He turns away from it. To me, you are massively endangering the player here. When you start to hit the ball quickly and come at me… if I kick you, I'll break my leg. I think it's a really dangerous challenge from Pickford. He's out of control.

INCIDENT: A tangle of legs in the box between Axel Disasi and James Tarkowski sees the Everton defender fall in the box. Tarkowski reacts angrily after Disasi appears to make contact with his head while on the ground.

DERMOT SAYS: Is that a red card? No, I don't think so. The players are caught up in the moment and give the referee a decision to make, but I think the referee was right to give up. I think that is the best solution. The red card must be for violence, we can't give out red cards like confetti.

SUE SMITH SAYS: I don't think it's a red card and I don't think it's a penalty. It's more of a nuisance. Not enough for a red card.

West Ham 1-1 Brighton

INCIDENT: One of the biggest talking points in the Premier League came at the London Stadium where Rob Jones is the head referee. But should Brighton have been shown a red card for Pervis Estupinan's two-footed effort on Max Kilman? Jones gave a yellow and VAR agreed with him.

DERMOT SAYS: I think it's a red card. He's flying through the air, out of control. He grabs it high, grips it full force with his wedges.

SUE SMITH SAYS: It's a red card. I thought it was really yellow at the time but I flinched when I first saw it so I probably should have gone with my first instinct because then I saw it again and it was out of control.

That's the intensity with which he goes and that with both feet. He connects with Kilman so it's red. I'm really surprised VAR didn't recommend him to go to the screen.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: I thought it was a red card. Rob Jones was caught up in the game but the VAR person was not caught up in the emotion of the game and should have told him it was red.

Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth

INCIDENT: Manchester United protested the award of the free-kick that gave Bournemouth the first goal. Tyrell Malacia was the player who was in a relationship with Craig Pawson who is the referee, but was it a foul?

DERMOT SAYS: The assistant referee is the closest to him and he thought it was a foul. He's the one who signals the foul and does a good job of getting out of the way.

Since it's off the field, you still can't grapple like that. He's on the line so it's still a foul. The only reason we're talking about it is because Bournemouth scored. We talk about it because of the consequences.

INCIDENT: Bournemouth were awarded a penalty in the second half after Noussair Mazraoui's challenge on Justin Kluivert. United wanted offside in the build-up to the match.

DERMOT SAYS: He doesn't get the ball. Heaven is sent for a referee, if you're going to give a penalty, you want one where nobody really complains.

Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool

INCIDENT: Tottenham v Liverpool was refereed by Sam Barrott and he waved Spurs off with an early penalty appeal for Trent Alexander-Arnold's challenge on James Maddison.

DERMOT SAYS: I think he uses the strength of his body. Is that a punishment? Not for me. The referee refereed Gillingham against Leicester two years ago. I had a feeling this guy was going to go a long, long way. He progressed faster than I ever thought. He is the most talented referee to come to the Premier League in the last two years. It's not a penalty.

INCIDENT: Virgil van Dijk adjudged a foul on Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up to James Maddison's goal for Tottenham.

DERMOT SAYS: I think that Dejan Kulusevski stood on his own feet. It's not a foul, but again the referee has a perfect position because he's looking right at her.

Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal

INCIDENT: At Selhurst Park, Nathaniel Clyne was booked for a tackle on Ricardo Calafiori by referee Simon Hooper. Could he have been shown red?

DERMOT SAYS: I think the fact that he came from a short distance saves him. Estupinan comes through the air and out of control. In this case, he doesn't increase the momentum and tempo so I think the yellow card is the right decision.

SUE SMITH SAYS: Yes, he caught his ankle and it hurts, but I think it's yellow.

Motherwell 1-1 Kilmarnock

INCIDENT: Now on to the Scottish Premiership red card controversy which Aston Villa captain John McGinn – whose brother plays for Motherwell – called the “worst decision” he had ever seen.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell says he is fed up with the referees after Chris Graham sent off Dan Casey for an altercation with Kilmarnock's Danny Armstrong, despite being instructed by VAR to review the decision.

DERMOT SAYS: I don't think it's a red card at all. VAR quite rightly warned him to go and check.

But what they didn't do well at the time was they showed it in slow motion and they show the end of it, so they don't show him getting him halfway up the chest. It looks like he grabbed his neck, I don't think so.

INCIDENT: Kilmarnock were furious that Graham didn't award them a penalty after Andy Halliday caught Brad Lyons on the leg. Were they right to be angry? Was it a penalty?

DERMOT SAYS: I think this is a really interesting decision because if you watch the replay, the striker plays the ball, he comes first and then the defender gets on his feet to bring him down. It's certainly not a foul in any other way.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: I'm confused. This is a case of VAR letting them down and not intervening. The entire process of that game will be reviewed by Martin Atkinson. I'm sure he'll say there's a lot of work to do.

Tranmere 2-2 Morecambe

INCIDENT: Tranmere Rovers' Jordan Turnbull had his pants pulled down – quite literally – as Patrick Kelly raced through to score for Doncaster.

DERMOT SAYS: Why it was allowed to stand is a mystery. Just give it a free kick, everyone would take it, right?

SUE SMITH SAYS: You can see he's trying to pull up his shorts before he challenges, but yes, it has to be a free kick.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: Unbelievable how everyone misses it, even the fourth official and assistants. Surely someone picked up on it and said you missed it. That's a bad decision.