Dermot Gallagher gives ‘clumsy’ verdict on Southampton v Arsenal moment

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on the key decision during Southampton vs Arsenal.
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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on Arsenal’s penalty claim during Sunday’s draw with Southampton. The Gunners were held to a stalemate by strugglers Southampton at St Mary’s despite taking the lead through Granit Xhaka. Stuart Armstrong went on to score an equaliser for the hosts, and Arsenal failed to win a Premier League game for only the second time this evening amid their superb start.

There was some controversy, though, with Gabriel Jesus feeling he should have won a penalty when he tangled with Duje Caleta-Car. The two players tangled legs in the Saints area, and Gunners players were left furious when referee Robert Jones and VAR resisted giving a spot kick. But according to former top-flight referee Gallagher, the decision made on the field was a correct one.

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“Tough call, I think a tangle of legs,” Gallagher said on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch. “It is untidy, but it seems a little bit unfair, when the Southampton player gets the ball there, that it would be a foul. People would say ‘he stil catches him after’, but he does play the ball and he is clumsy, but the pair of them are both going for the ball.

“I’d side with the referee.He’s looking for everything, and the fact we are discussing it and haven’t come to a conclusion, you have to side with the referee on the day.”

After the game, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was also asked about the decision, but he said: “I don’t know. I don’t want to comment on that. I want to see the images before I do that.” Arteta also said he had ‘no complaints’ over the result, so this didn’t seem like it was a decision that went down all that badly with the Arsenal boss, despite the fact it may have cost his side.