Dermot Gallagher tells Kieran McKenna he's wrong after 'baffling' Leicester City decision
Dermot Gallagher insists referee Tim Robinson was right not to penalise Abdul Fatawu for his challenge on Ipswich Town’s Conor Chaplin.
Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna felt his side should have been awarded a spot-kick during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Portman Road as the Leicester City winger seemed to barge into his player.
However, former Premier League referee Gallagher has backed Robinson’s interpretation and the fact that VAR did not intervene. Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch Gallagher insisted it wasn’t a penalty saying: “I don’t think he runs into him, they collide.”
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He went on to explain why video reply didn’t get involved: “The VAR did check that because I listened to it. It was felt the referee's on-field call was the correct call. He makes the call and there's not enough to overturn.
"We asked earlier in the season for the referees to make decisions and, if you look at the referee, he has the perfect position and he immediately waves it away.
"When the VAR asks him what he sees, he will relay that back. They said it was not a clear and obvious error so the game went on. If I was the VAR, I don't think I could get involved."
However pundit Stephen Warnock strongly disagreed: “Kieran McKenna was incensed and rightly so because I thought that was a really poor decision... I am even more baffled by that.”
McKenna said after the match: " I think it’s a clear penalty. I don’t know how it’s not given at the time. The responsibility lies more with the referee than the VAR. He’s in position, Conor moves the ball onto his left foot, the winger comes steaming out to Conor and just steams into his stomach as he goes to take his shot. I don’t think it’s a debatable one.