‘I just can’t’: Dermot Gallagher has his say on the Newcastle penalty on Sky Sports' Ref Watch

Sky Sports' Ref Watch segment unsurprisingly featured Newcastle United's controversial penalty award from the weekend.

It was inevitable that the Magpies' penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday would be the focus of Ref Watch this week.

Fabian Schär was adjudged to have been fouled by Wolves striker Hwang Hee-Chan in the box on the stroke of half-time. After a lengthy VAR check, the on-field decision stood and Newcastle were awarded a spot kick from which Callum Wilson scored to make it 2-1 to Eddie Howe's side.

The decision was deemed not to be a clear and obvious error

The fact that it took VAR so long to come to support the incorrect decision has been a hot topic of discussion ever since.

It's understandable how it was given, as the directive for VAR is to overturn clear and obvious errors. The fact of the matter is, while it is clear and obvious that it was never a penalty, if you take into account what the on-field referee saw in real time, it's reasonable to assume that a penalty was the correct call.

Therefore it wasn't a 'clear and obvious error' by the referee and the decision stands. Confusing enough for you?

@SkySportsPL/X

Former refereree Dermot Gallagher was unconvinced

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher didn't believe it was a penalty and was straightforward in his assessment on Sky Sports.

“Not a penalty for me. I can see why the referee gave it. I can fully understand why the referee gave it but when you look at it again you only have to see one replay and you knew that it wasn’t not a foul. The fact that it was looked at so many times … I just can’t see a foul.”

We don't think anybody is claiming that it was a penalty, but the fact remains that VAR is only supposed to correct obvious mistakes by the referee. Had VAR not been a thing, nobody would have really questioned Anthony Taylor's decision as when the incident happened it looked like a certain penalty.

Or are we just making excuses now?