Ref Watch: VAR was correct to rule out Gabriel Martinelli's goal at Everton, says Dermot Gallagher

Plus: Should Tottenham have been awarded a penalty against Sheffield United? Was Brentford boss Thomas Frank right to be upset by the decision to give Newcastle a spot-kick on SNF? Dermot Gallagher has his say in the latest Ref Watch...

Former Premier League referee

Monday 18 September 2023 18:32, UK

Former referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the weekend's Premier League action, including a controversial offside call at Goodison Park.

INCIDENT: Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli sees his first-half strike at Everton ruled out for offside by VAR.

WHAT GARY NEVILLE SAID ON SUPER SUNDAY: «Even I'm a little confused, he looked well behind. There looks to be a little bit of guess work with the blue line, I have to say. Sometimes you get a feeling a decision isn't right and that one didn't feel right.»

«A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent.»

'Deliberate play' is defined as 'when a player has control of the ball'. In this instance, it must therefore be concluded that Beto was not in control and therefore the touch cannot be considered a deliberate attempt to play the ball."

DERMOT SAYS: «It is a good call as Eddie Nketiah is offside, he starts in an offside position, then comes back. As Gabriel plays the ball up, it strikes Beto.

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»I do not think there is any way you can say he would play the ball back like that, so therefore he is in an offside position and it goes to Martinelli, and he scores.

«Just to clear a couple of things up, Gabriel plays the ball,