Celtic vs Hearts penalty VAR calls pored over by Dermot Gallagher on Ref Watch
Dermot Gallagher reckons referees have "dug a hole for themselves" with the handball law after Celtic's clash with Hearts and the penalty kick controversy.
The Hoops would go on to win their Premiership clash at Parkhead thanks to a spot-kick from Arne Engels and then a fine finish from new signing Luke McCowan for both to open their scoring accounts for the club. But it could all have been different had Liam Scales' foul for "handball" not have been overturned by VAR from a Lawrence Shankland header.
The Irishman was adjudged initially by ref Colin Steven to have handled but the tech assistants deliberated and decided his arms were in a natural position and too close to Shankland when he headed the ball.
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Gallagher, on Sky Sports' Ref Watch programme, believes it was the right call from the collective officials.
But might the Scales one have been given last season? "You look at that last year and I think it'd definitely be given as a penalty. Is it a penalty? I think not, his arms are in a position you'd expect them to be, making a challenge, he's gone to head the ball, wants balance and it was quite right to send him to the screen and drop the ball rather than penalty."
Jambos defender James Penrice was also penalised for a handball in the second-half at the other end but this spot-kick was given in the end. And Gallagher attempted to explain the call even if he himself wasn't too convinced.
"What was different for Penrice? This is the problem isn't it? This is the hole sometimes we dig ourselves as referees, in this one he says the arm is outstretched to block the cross. You'll see the way the player reacts, he's trying to get his arm in very quickly. I think it's given because his arm is outstretched."
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock chimed in: "I thought the one given against Celtic was the right decision to overturn it and make sure it's not a penalty. The Penrice one I don't think is a penalty either, because what can he do? It's just... I don't understand where you want him to go. The speed of the ball, look at the distance, what, two yards? There's just no way he can do anything."
To which Gallagher replied: "It leads to the debate, that's why I use the phrase we dig a hole for ourselves. Give them both, or give neither."