Former referee reveals Manchester United should have been awarded penalty vs Newcastle

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has admitted that Manchester United should have been awarded a penalty against Newcastle on Sunday.

Erik ten Hag's side failed to break the deadlock at Old Trafford despite being presented with a handful of golden opportunities, with Marcus Rashford and Fred both guilty of missing clear-cut chances to put United in front.

Referee Craig Pawson came under the spotlight after the game following a number of contentious decisions during the match. Sean Longstaff appeared to foul Jadon Sancho in the box, yet the referee waved away United's appeals. Gallagher has now had his say on the incident, admitting that he thought Pawson was wrong not to award the Reds a penalty.

He told Sky Sports : "I think it’s a penalty. When you see it he takes his foot. The referee’s position, I’m surprised it wasn’t given. Can’t see how that’s not a penalty, whether it’s how he’s gone to ground but VAR looked at it and said no. The referee has the perfect view and says no."

United had another appeal for a spot-kick later in the game after Ronaldo collided with Kieran Trippier. Gallagher believes that the referee made the right call on this occasion.

"I don’t think it’s a penalty. I think, if you look, Ronaldo comes across to him, they collide, no doubt about it," he said. "We see here he goes into Trippier as much as Trippier goes into him. For me, not a penalty."

Raphael Varane nearly had a nightmare start on his return to the starting XI as he appeared to catch Callum Wilson in United's penalty box with just 15 minutes played. Pawson waved away the appeals for a spot-kick as VAR upheld the decision, something that Gallagher agreed with.

"I don’t think the referee thinks it’s a foul, he thinks they come together, if he gives a foul it won’t be overturned by the VAR," he continued. "This is all about the referee on the day, if the referee gives it the VAR will stick with it, in this instance, the referee doesn’t give a penalty. I think certain decisions fall into it has to be an on-field decision and that’s what sits more comfortably and I think it’s a classic example."

One of the biggest talking points from the game was the decision to disallow a goal after Ronaldo swooped in to take the ball off Nick Pope, claiming that the ball was in play.

Speaking about the incident, Gallagher said: "The referee has given offside, that’s why they’re waiting but he’s rolled it back to Pope so he can take the free-kick from where he is. This is what the referee is saying to him, the fact he [Ronaldo] was delayed so long before he nipped in to get it tells you everything.

"He’s waiting for that free-kick to be taken, if you watch he doesn’t go to the ball straight away, he takes an eternity to go. Everybody is in shock, everybody thinks that still has to be a free-kick. You have more argument if it’s given, everyone accepts that’s a free-kick to the goalkeeper, referee’s waiting for that free-kick to be taken, be sensible."