Dermot Gallagher has given his stamp of approval to St Johnstone following a controversial incident that saw Celtic miss out on a penalty as they climbed to the summit of the Scottish Premiership.
The tense moment unfolded as a scramble in front of the goal ensued after a powerful shot from Paulo Bernardo landed in the box. Daizen Maeda seized the opportunity, only to have his shot thwarted by Luke Robinson’s arm on the goal line. Despite the apparent handball, referee Euan Anderson opted against awarding a penalty.
Once VAR official Chris Graham reviewed the potential handball, it was deemed unnecessary for the on-field referee to consult the monitor. The decision stood, supported by the off-field team, leading to Dermot Gallagher applauding the referee’s call as a display of “common sense”.
In an analysis on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch segment, Gallagher explained, “I must commend the referee for showing common sense with this decision. The referee was correct in his assessment as, when you observe the incident closely, the ball clearly comes into contact with the defender’s arm while he is positioned on the goal line.
“In such a scenario, it becomes nearly impossible for the defender to avoid contact with the ball. If a penalty were to be given, a red card would then also need to be shown. Such a harsh outcome would be unjustifiable, especially with the players being in such close proximity. The referee’s judgment was spot on as the defender had no way of dodging the ball’s trajectory.”
