Referee

[Supersub6]

On the subject of referees I thought it astonishing that when Josh King is clean through on goal (Villa v Fulham) and is brought down by Martinez the verdict is simulation. Just as an aside who thinks that if a Burnley defender (instead of Marty Cash) blocks a shot on goal with an outstretched arm this is given as handball and penalty.

It wasn't a penalty, however, it certainly wasn't simulation. King was trying to go round Martinez but he knocked the ball away from goal and then tried to go round towards goal to get it. He knew he would run into Martinez, did so and fell over. It was purely a coming together but it certainly wasn't simulation.

The Cash handball was right in front of goal and it was said that his arm was in a natural position. It was a worse handball than Hannibal's against Liverpool. He was further away than Hannibal, he had his back to goal, his arm was high and it hit it. Everything was the same as Hannibal except that he was further away from the ball being struck and he was right in fornt of goal.

Later on at Newcastle there was much furore about the VAR intervention with the penalty given against Nick Pope.
Murphy made a horrible pass back to Nick and it was seized on by Gyokeres on the edge of the six yard box. Nick Pope was coming out to try to block, Gyokeres then tried to poke the ball past Pope into the goal. However, Nick got a toe to the ball and deflected it away from goal, however, Gyokeres momentum then took him into a stationary Pope and the ref gave a pen.
It was a wrong decision, VAR questioned it and the penalty was rescinded. Joe Hart described it perfectly on MotD. Gyokeres messed up because he missed his chance, Pope made a good save, which is his job. Collision ensued because neither player had anywhere else to go.

This was exactly the same as the penalty that Bamford 'won' against Nick Pope at Leeds a few season's ago with Saturday's referee, Rob Jones, making his PL debut. He had a very bad day at the office that day lol