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Ref Watch: Daniel Sturridge was fouled, West Ham did not deserve any penalties

West Ham United's French midfielder Dimitri Payet (3L) and West Ham United's Italian striker Simone Zaza (R) appeal for a penalty unsuccessfully during the
Image: Simone Zaza (right) wanted two penalties against Southampton

Ref Watch is back to debate another selection of controversial decisions from some of the weekend's Premier League matches.

Former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher came into the Sky Sports News HQ studio on Monday morning to analyse the big refereeing decisions from another packed weekend of football.

From debatable handball decisions to red cards, Gallagher had it all covered, including an unintentionally flailing elbow at Swansea and a bizarre sending off at Luton Town.

Dermot Gallagher would have sent Eric Dier off during Tottenham's 2-2 draw at Tottenham
Image: Dermot Gallagher has given his thoughts on the weekend's contentious calls

MATCH: Liverpool v Hull City, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT No 1: Elmohamady sent off for handball

SCENARIO: Ahmed Elmohamady hung out his right arm to block Philippe Coutinho's goal-bound shot. The goalkeeper was not going to be able to make a save and the Hull defender was shown a straight red card. It was a case of deja vu for the Tigers, who had Jake Livermore dismissed for a similar incident a week ago.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Ahmed Elmohamady of Hull City is shown a red card during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Hull City at Anf
Image: Ahmed Elmohamady was sent off against Liverpool

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: I think this week it's absolutely correct. I think the difference is that's going into the net and the law does say he's got to be stopping a goal. He's put his hand out and you can see that it's going to go in.

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The goalkeeper's not there - I think last week the goalkeeper was there, which I felt was a little bit harsh. But he's gone towards the ball and he's gone to handle it. I don't think there's any debate to be honest.

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Ref Watch: Handball decisions from the weekend

MATCH: West Ham United v Southampton, Premier League, Sunday

INCIDENT No 2: Penalty denied as Bertrand handles in the box

SCENARIO: Ryan Bertrand inadvertently handled the ball behind him as he lunged in at close range to block Sofiane Feghouli's powerful shot.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision - not deliberate handball

DERMOT SAYS: I don't think it's handball to be honest. I think the ball hits him, I think his arms are close to his body and I don't think the referee could see it anyhow. I think it comes at such speed, he's turned away and he doesn't really know. I can understand why that's not given.

You have to bear in mind that the law says it has to be deliberate and I don't think there's any way he's deliberately tried to handle the ball at all. He's not looking at the ball and his arms are close to his body, you know. We've seen ones this week where the arms are well outstretched.

MATCH: West Ham United v Southampton, Premier League, Sunday

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Ref Watch: Was Zaza unfortunate?

INCIDENT No 3: Zaza's double penalty shout turned down

SCENARIO: Zaza went down after a tangle of legs with Cedric Soares while also being challenged by Jose Fonte, but the referee adjudged that the striker had already lost the ball and that the contact was not relevant. Zaza later appealed after going to ground following minimal contact inside the box with Saints midfielder Oriol Romeu, but was again denied.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Neither were penalties

DERMOT SAYS: I thought both of them were right. The first is a tangle, the player goes down too easily. Right decision - it's not a penalty for me. I think players come together, it's a physical game. There's no intention whatsoever. I don't think it's a penalty.

With the second, I think he's got to be convinced that there's no physical contact (to book Zaza for diving), but I don't think that's a penalty either. I think the player's got the ball and I think he (Zaza) has gone over afterwards.

Should Zaza have been booked for his gesticulations? 

I think if the referee sees it and the referee takes offence to it then yes. We saw a few in the Premier League this weekend. There were players who got cautioned for that offence.

MATCH: Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion, Premier League, Saturday

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Stoke v West Brom: No penalty for Pieters

INCIDENT No 4: Pieters' penalty appeals rejected

SCENARIO: Stoke City full-back Erik Pieters was twice eased off the ball inside the box and twice the referee opted to wave away his appeals.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct on both occasions

DERMOT SAYS: I think the first is a coming together, I don't think it is a foul. I think they got tangled up, it's not a foul, and I think the forward has gone across him anyhow.

The second one I thought he slipped anyway, he's already down. I don't think it's a foul and what you can say about the referee there is he's so close he's got the best view of that - I think he's already down.

But I don't think either were penalties. In fairness the players didn't make much of either of them to be honest during the game.

But Mark Hughes did?

We all get frustrated, don't we? I think they were two correct decisions.

MATCH: Middlesbrough v Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Saturday

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Middlesbrough v Tottenham: Alli pushed in the box

INCIDENT No 5: Stuani takes a big risk

SCENARIO: Dele Alli was pushed over by Middlesbrough's Cristhian Stuani as the ball was running out of play, but no penalty was given.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Should have been a penalty

DERMOT SAYS: Biggest risk of the weekend I think, this. If he'd have given a penalty I would not have been surprised. I can't understand with the ball running out - I think you could give a penalty for that.

I think it's a foul. I think it's a massive, massive risk doing that and why he has to do it I don't know because the ball's running out of play. I think it's a penalty.

MATCH: Swansea City v Manchester City, Premier League, Saturday

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Swansea v Manchester City Incident: De Bruyne catches an elbow

INCIDENT No 6: Van der Hoorn booked for flailing elbow

SCENARIO: Mike van der Hoorn gave away a penalty but was only booked after catching Kevin de Bruyne with a stray elbow inside the box as the Swansea defender stepped across the City man.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Reckless rather than violent - correct decision

DERMOT SAYS:  The referee deemed this reckless rather than violent. The amazing thing is, I thought this was a penalty straight away but I've spoken to loads of people over the weekend who say 'it's not a foul', and that was the biggest shock to me really. I think it's definitely a foul and I think it's a yellow card.

Why only a yellow? 

Because I think it's reckless (rather than violent). I think he hasn't gone to bang him out. I think it's a reckless challenge, it's not a violent challenge and I think the referee's got it right.

I think it's a yellow card. If that happened on the halfway line you're still not going to get sent off.

Kevin De Bruyne was hurt in the closing stages of Manchester City's win at Swansea
Image: Kevin de Bruyne receives the concern of his team-mates

MATCH: Liverpool v Hull City, Premier League, Saturday

INCIDENT No 7: Sturridge takes advantage of a dangled leg

SCENARIO: Daniel Sturridge went down easily after Hull's Andrew Robertson dangled a leg in his direction inside the box, failing to reach the ball and giving the striker an opportunity to take the foul.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Foul and a penalty - correct decision

DERMOT SAYS:  I think he's dangled a leg and he's gone over, he's tripped him. He hasn't got the ball, the ball's gone past him.

I don't know what he's said afterwards. He could have said it politely - players do speak politely to referees, believe it or not.

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MATCH: Luton Town v Doncaster Rovers, League Two, Saturday

INCIDENT No 8: Hylton sent off in bizarre circumstances

SCENARIO: Luton's Danny Hylton was shown a second yellow card for a throwing a litter picker in the general direction of the assistant referee after he'd slid off the pitch late in the game.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: 'Rubbish' decision

DERMOT SAYS:  The assistant thought he threw it at him. He already had a yellow card and he got a second for dissent, but it's something you'd never imagine it in a million years - you pick up something and get binned for it.

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