Ref Watch: Pickford and Estupinan lucky to avoid unwanted Christmas cards?

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

Everton 0-0 Chelsea

INCIDENT: Jordan Pickford avoided any action after diving in at the feet of Malo Gusto during the first half of Everton’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea. Referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR Graham Scott deemed that Pickford had not seriously endangered his opponent.

DERMOT SAYS: I wonder if the referee was in the best position to see that. Pickford has chosen not to be a goalkeeper here, he’s chosen to be an outfield player. If a full-back makes that challenge, he’s going to give a penalty away.

He leaps through the air, the only reason he gets the ball is because it touches his backside on the way through. He doesn’t get the ball, the ball actually deflects off him.

SUE SMITH SAYS: Gusto does him a favour. It’s at minimum a penalty, if not a red card. It’s dangerous and he doesn’t touch the ball with his feet. If you run out at pace like that, you’ve got to win the ball. The fact he doesn’t makes him a lucky boy.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: Pickford twists his body. He turns away from it. For me, you are massively endangering a player here. When you go to hit the ball at speed and you run at me… if I kick through you, I’m going to 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 go down in the box. Tarkowski reacts angrily after Disasi appears to make contact with his head while on the ground.

DERMOT SAYS: Is it a red card? No, I don’t think it is. Players get sucked up into the moment and give the referee a decision to make but I think the referee rightly backed down. I that’s the best solution. A red card has to be for violence, we can’t give red cards out 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 an annoyance. It’s 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 referee Rob Jones was in charge. But should Brighton have received a red card for Pervis Estupinan’s two-footed tackle 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, he’s out of control. It catches him high, catches him full-force with his studs.

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

It’s the intensity he goes at and it’s with both legs. He connects with Kilman so it’s a 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 person in the VAR is not caught up in the emotion of the game and should have told him it was a red.

Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth

INCIDENT: Manchester United protested about the awarding of a free-kick that Bournemouth scored their opening goal from. Tyrell Malacia was the player involved with Craig Pawson the referee, but was it a foul?

DERMOT SAYS: The assistant referee is the closest person to it, and he thought it was a foul. He is the one that signals the foul and does well to get out of the way.

Because it’s off the pitch, you still can’t tackle like that. He’s on the line so it’s still a foul. The only reason we’re talking about it is because Bournemouth score. We’re talking about it because of the consequence.

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

DERMOT SAYS: He doesn’t get the ball. It’s heaven-sent for a referee, if you’re going to give a penalty, you want them like that where nobody really has a big gripe with this.

Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool

INCIDENT: Tottenham vs Liverpool was refereed by Sam Barrott and he waved Spurs appeals for an early penalty for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s challenge on James Maddison.

DERMOT SAYS: I think he uses his body strength. Is it a penalty? Not for me. The referee two years ago refereed Gillingham vs Leicester. I felt this guy would go a long, long way. He’s progressed quicker than I ever would have thought. He is the most talented referee to come through in the last two years to the Premier League. It’s not a penalty.

INCIDENT: Virgil van Dijk felt there was a foul on Alexis Mac Allister in the build up to James Maddison’s goal for Tottenham.

DERMOT SAYS: I think Dejan Kulusevski has his own foot stood on. It’s not a foul, but again the referee has the perfect position as he’s looking straight at it.

Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal

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

DERMOT SAYS: I think what saves him is that he’s come from a short distance. Estupinan comes through the air and is out of control. In this case, he doesn’t build up any momentum and pace so I think yellow card is the right decision.

SUE SMITH SAYS: Yes he catches him on the ankle and it’s a sore one but I think a yellow.

Motherwell 1-1 Kilmarnock

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

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell says he is “fed up” with referees after Dan Casey was sent off by Chris Graham for an altercation with Kilmarnock’s Danny Armstrong, despite VAR instructing him to review the decision.

DERMOT SAYS: I don’t think it’s a red card at all. The VAR has quite rightly alerted him to go over and check.

But then what they didn’t do well then is that they showed it in slow motion and they show the end of it, so they don’t show that he’s caught him halfway down his chest. It looks like he’s grabbed his throat, I don’t think he has.

INCIDENT: Kilmarnock were furious that Graham didn’t award them a penalty after Andy Halliday caught Brad Lyons’ foot. 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 forward plays the ball, he gets there first and then the defender stands on his foot to knock him over. It’s certainly not a foul the other way.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: I’m puzzled. This is a case of VAR letting them down and not intervening. The whole process of that game will be under review by Martin Atkinson. I’m sure he’ll be saying there’s a lot of work to be done.

Tranmere 2-2 Morecambe

INCIDENT: Tranmere Rovers’ Jordan Turnbull had his pants pulled down – quite literally – as Patrick Kelly ran through and scored for Doncaster.

DERMOT SAYS: It’s a mystery as to why it was allowed to stand. Just give a free kick, everyone would accept that, wouldn’t they?

SUE SMITH SAYS: You can see he’s trying to pull his shorts back up before he makes the challenge but yeah it’s got to be a free kick.

STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: It’s incredible how it’s missed by everyone even the fourth official and the assistants. Surely someone picks up on that and says you’ve missed that. It’s a bad decision.