Dermot Gallagher assesses contentious judgments in the Premier League following each round of matches, acting on behalf of Sky Sports. In the recent Newcastle United versus Crystal Palace encounter, the former distinguished referee has offered his perspective.
Dermot Gallagher has examined the events that unfolded in the initial moments of the match at St. James’ Park. In a conversation with Sky Sports regarding the Newcastle United versus Crystal Palace incident, Gallagher addressed the following incident:
The incident in question pertains to Jacob Murphy’s goal, which was initially deemed offside but later granted by VAR. Gallagher commented as follows:
“This is a prime example of VAR operating flawlessly, and the procedure has seen significant changes since the Tottenham-Liverpool game. The initial on-field decision was offside, establishing a starting point, but upon closer examination, it became evident that the play was onside. As a result, the goal was awarded.
“In circumstances like the Diaz offside, it’s important to return to the fundamentals and meticulously assess every aspect. The process may take longer, a natural consequence of striving for accuracy and self-protection. While some overcompensation may occur initially, it will become more efficient as confidence grows. Undoubtedly, the process has improved.”
The key takeaway from this ‘controversial’ incident is that it exemplifies why VAR is a valuable addition. While there’s room for substantial improvement in how the Premier League implements VAR, many tend to forget the shortcomings of the pre-VAR era. The impression that everything was perfect back then is far from the truth.
In reality, that era allowed cheaters to thrive, with encouragement to engage in diving and other forms of deception, as the consequences were minimal, and the potential rewards were significant. Wrong decisions were rampant in every match, often influencing the outcomes significantly. Although a few key wrong decisions are magnified today, it’s important to note that diving and cheating have largely subsided due to VAR’s ability to alert the referee, a change that often goes unnoticed.
In the specific instance discussed, the linesman made an educated guess and raised the flag four minutes into the game. Without VAR, Murphy’s goal would have been disallowed, and upon later review (if conducted at all), it would have been lumped together with other erroneous decisions that marred that weekend’s matches. This would lead to discussions about the impossible task faced by match officials in making split-second judgments.
However, VAR’s intervention resulted in Murphy’s goal being correctly awarded and the linesman’s initial decision being overturned. This early goal disrupted Hodgson’s game plan and left Palace demoralized, enabling Newcastle to dominate the match. Without this correct intervention and the validation of NUFC’s goal, the outcome of the match would have remained uncertain.
Newcastle 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Saturday 21 October 3pm
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Murphy 4, Gordon 44, Longstaff 45+2, Wilson 66
Palace:
Possession was Palace 40% Newcastle 60%
Total shots were Palace 17 Newcastle 10
Shots on target were Palace 3 Newcastle 7
Corners were Palace 8 Newcastle 6
Referee: Tim Robinson
Newcastle United:
Pope, Trippier (Livramento 69), Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno (Tonali 69), Joelinton (Anderson 80), Murphy, Wilson (Isak 69), Gordon (Almiron 69)
UNUSED SUBS:
Dubravka, Dummett, Targett, Hall
(Roy Hodgson with blinding honesty after Palace hiding at St James’ Park – Read HERE)
(Official Newcastle United injury update after 4-0 Palace hammering – Disappointing on Sven Botman – Read HERE)
(Newcastle 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Match ratings and comments on all of the NUFC players – Read HERE)
(Newcastle 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)
(Read Newcastle 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Brilliant from United – Read HERE)
Newcastle United upcoming matches:
Wednesday 25 October 2023 – Newcastle v Borussia Dortmund (8pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 28 October 2023 – Wolves v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports
Wednesday 1 November 2023 – Manchester United v Newcastle United (8.15pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 4 November 2023 – Newcastle v Arsenal (5.30pm) Sky Sports
Tuesday 7 November 2023 – Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle (5.45pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 11 November 2023 – Bournemouth v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 2 December 2023 – Newcastle United v Manchester United (8pm) TNT Sports