Former Premier League referee believes Newcastle were lucky with one key decision on Saturday

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has been on Sky Sports News today for Ref Watch, looking over the weekend's controversial decisions.

We made our feelings known on referee Anthony Taylor's performance on Saturday after the ref seemed to wave away every possible free kick Newcastle could have had no matter how blatant, while handing out yellow cards like he had a quota to hit.

However, it's Burnley who came away feeling the most aggrieved after Taylor failed to award them a spot kick following a clumsy challenge by Bruno Guimaraes with the score still level.

It was one of those challenges that one ref would give and another would wave away, and Taylor did the latter on Saturday.

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Gallagher believes Burnley should have had a penalty

However, Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports News that Vincent Kompany had every right to be disappointed with the decision.

“The referee has had a bit of bad luck. The camera would show he's blocked off, he's trying to look around players but doesn't have a clear view.

“If he has the view we have, he makes a different decision. If the VAR sends him to the screen, I think he would award the penalty.”

Anthony Taylor was dreadful on Saturday

Through our biased eyes, it was never a penalty, there was nowhere near enough contact to send him down the way he fell, and if anything it was just a normal shoulder barge, but if the shoe was on the other foot, of course we'd be appealing.

When you look at the moment that Anthony Gordon was clearly held back in the second half right in front of the referee's eyes, it's hardly surprising that he missed a big penalty call.

In all honesty, even if Burnley had taken the lead, the way Newcastle started playing after the first 15 minutes, they'd still not have stood a chance of winning, although an early goal could have prevented the Magpies from perking up.