Raheem Sterling was right to avoid a red card for his tackle on Dele Alli, says Dermot Gallagher

Raheem Sterling was right to avoid a red card for his tackle on Dele Alli, says Dermot Gallagher in the latest edition of Ref Watch.

After another busy round of Premier League action, Dermot joined Rob Wotton, Sue Smith and Stephen Warnock on Sky Sports News for his weekly review of the big decisions.

Read on for Dermot's verdict from the latest games...

6:02 A round-up of the weekend's Premier League action as Liverpool took a 22-point lead over Manchester City. A round-up of the weekend's Premier League action as Liverpool took a 22-point lead over Manchester City.

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham's win over Manchester City in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham's win over Manchester City in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: There was early controversy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as VAR checked a studs-up challenge from Raheem Sterling on Dele Alli. Sterling caught Alli on the ankle and though the decision remained as nothing more than a yellow, Mourinho described it as a clear red card after the game.

1:18 Dermot Gallagher explains why he believes the decision to give Raheem Sterling a yellow card rather than a red was the right call after the Man City man’s studs-up challenge on Dele Alli. Dermot Gallagher explains why he believes the decision to give Raheem Sterling a yellow card rather than a red was the right call after the Man City man’s studs-up challenge on Dele Alli.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "When I saw it in real time, I thought yellow card. When I saw the replay, my immediate reaction was red card. When I look at it again there are a number of factors here. It doesn't look good but Alli does actually get a touch on the ball. Sterling is studs up and he's quite clearly going for the ball. Because he's studs up, he hasn't got any intensity and I think that's what has saved him. It's not a good tackle but he hasn't lunged. It's not a red card offence.

"The difference between the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ben Godfrey red card is that they both go to ground. They are both horizontal, Sterling's not."

Jose furious with Sterling decision Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho was left furious that Sterling had not been sent off for his 12th-minute challenge on Alli, and fumed to Sky Sports after the game that he felt consistency was lacking in the top flight.



He said: "We can look at the perspective of being a bit lucky with a couple of situations where they hit the post or missed a good chance, but we can also see we were very unlucky the VAR didn't decide Sterling should have had a red card, which is clear. I see other situations where the decision like Sterling's is a red card. Son's against Chelsea, and for me, it's a straight red.



"From that moment it's a different game playing 75 minutes or something like that against 10 men. 11 vs 11 is really difficult and hard, but my boys were very well organised, with great discipline, we know how we can score goals, how we cannot score goals, and we were waiting or our chances."

INCIDENT: Serge Aurier clipped Sergio Aguero in the penalty area, and despite waving away the appeal at first, Mike Dean stopped play just under two minutes later to award the spot kick via VAR Kevin Friend.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: VAR correct to overturn decision

DERMOT SAYS: "The right decision was reached, it was a penalty for me. One of the problems is that the best angle is the angle from behind the goal, which was the last angle that came in, so the VAR was looking at it for nearly minute. It comes to the point where he says it's a penalty but by that point Manchester City were still attacking so the referee has to wait until it goes to a neutral zone but because City kept attacking, he cannot stop play. He's got to wait.

"It went to the halfway line after around one minute and 55 seconds and the referee was alerted that he could stop play now and give the penalty.

"When you see the angle from behind the goal, the angle that Mike Dean didn't have, it's a penalty. It was the last clip that came in and this is what the VAR is for. The referee could never give that penalty from where he was. Everything had told him that Aurier had played the ball but when you see the other angle, he hasn't. The VAR has corrected a wrong."

Hugo Lloris challenges Raheem Sterling in the penalty area

INCIDENT: Lloris saved Ilkay Gundogan's penalty and as he looked to gather the rebound ahead of Sterling, the Frenchman initially looked to catch the England international to hand City another spot kick. It was looked at by VAR, but Dean's call of no penalty was upheld. Both sets of players were then involved in a scuffle, while Jose Mourinho furiously waved his arms at fourth official Graham Scott after the mayhem, asking for a second yellow card for Sterling for simulation.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "I thought it wasn't a penalty. First, Lloris tries to take his arm away and Sterling's knees are already buckling. I think he's quite happy if he gets a penalty. I'd have been very surprised if that had been given.

"With every challenge like this there are three options: Penalty, simulation or there's do nothing. In this case, the third option was the best option. I didn't think it was a penalty and I didn't think it was a dive."

0:27 Watch Jose Mourinho's mood change instantly as he realises Raheem Sterling had already been booked after VAR determined he hadn't been fouled by Hugo Lloris. Watch Jose Mourinho's mood change instantly as he realises Raheem Sterling had already been booked after VAR determined he hadn't been fouled by Hugo Lloris.

INCIDENT: Oleksandr Zinchenko, who had been booked in the first half for his part in the scuffle after the penalty, was then dismissed for a shove on Harry Winks near halfway.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "It was actually Gundogan that goes to foul Winks first but once he misses him, Winks is away. You can see quite clearly that Zinchenko has taken his path and blocked him off. He was actually yellow carded in the first-half for a fracas with Toby Alderweireld after the penalty."

2:58 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool's win against Southampton in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool's win against Southampton in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: Jordan Henderson sent over a teasing looped cross from the right and Roberto Firmino tangled with Shane Long in the box, but the Irishman's light contact was judged insufficient to award a penalty after a VAR check.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Wrong decision, penalty.

DERMOT SAYS: "I thought it was a penalty. He knows exactly what he is doing, and I thought he pulled him down, but the VAR thought there was minimal contact on his shoulder, and it wasn't enough to give a foul."

Fabinho and Danny Ings in Premier League action at Anfield

INCIDENT: As Danny Ings drove into the box, he was seemingly caught by Fabinho, but play continued. After fine interplay between Andy Robertson and Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain drilled low into the bottom-left corner from outside the area for his second goal in two games. VAR didn't give the penalty and the Liverpool goal stood.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "I thought not a penalty. I watched it over and over again, he's got fast feet, he goes around and for me, Fabinho touches the ball. The unfortunate thing is Liverpool go up the other end and score, but when I saw it I thought he got the ball so play on, which the referee did and he had the best view."

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the 2-2 draw between Leicester and Chelsea in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the 2-2 draw between Leicester and Chelsea in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: Tammy Abraham thought he should have had a penalty after 20 minutes when he went down under a challenge from Caglar Soyuncu but, after a VAR check, the appeals were waved away.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "I don't think this is a foul. At best it's a coming together. Both players are going in opposite directions. For me, he's left the ball behind so no foul and play on. The referee has done the right thing here."

2:56 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Bournemouth's win over Aston Villa in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Bournemouth's win over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: Aston Villa were denied a massive claim for a penalty - despite a VAR review - after Aaron Ramsdale mistimed his punched clearance inside the box and instead clobbered Bjorn Engels in the face, after the Villa defender beat the Cherries keeper to the ball.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: Correct decision

DERMOT SAYS: "This sparked so much debate at the weekend it was unbelievable. I don't think referees will ever give them. We always think the goalkeeper has come out to punch the ball. Engels has got their first and Ramsdale has caught him. It's just a thing referees, and I include myself in that, we just don't consider it as a foul. We never have done. I've seen it all my life and I've never seen a goalkeeper punished for it."

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's draw against Brighton in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's draw against Brighton in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: Glenn Murray was in the right place at the right time to fire home Brighton's equaliser, converting Davy Propper's cross, and after a lengthy VAR check for handball, the goal was awarded.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: VAR correct to overturn decision

DERMOT SAYS: "This is where the VAR has done really well again because Michael Oliver has let the ball go in the net and then given handball. That means it can be checked but when you look at it I think it has hit his hip. They looked at it over and over again but there's no evidence to show it hits his arm. On that basis you've got to give a goal.

"The argument was if he handled the ball. There's no evidence to show the ball struck his hand."

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Sheffield United's win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League. FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Sheffield United's win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

INCIDENT: Palace could have ended the game with 10 men. Joel Ward was dismayed to be shown a straight red card in the 72nd minute after a crunching tackle on Enda Stevens, but VAR intervened and referee Andy Madley went over to the monitor to review his decision. The red card was eventually rescinded with Ward's dismissal downgraded to a yellow.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: VAR correct to overturn decision

DERMOT SAYS: "Without doubt, VAR has done the referee a massive favour. He's alerted him and said you need to have a look at this because, in my opinion, it's not worth a red card. He's gone across, he's looked, and he's seen that he's misread it. When you see it on the screen, it's a yellow card offence."