Celtic’s 3-1 victory over Motherwell was effectively decided by a second-half penalty and red card, and Dermot Gallagher has now explained why the decision was correct by referencing a former Hoops hero.
The incident saw Motherwell’s Emmanuel Longelo sent off for hauling down Daizen Maeda from a corner, a call that Gallagher believes mirrored a recent Premier League flashpoint involving Virgil van Dijk.
Speaking on Ref Watch on Sky Sports News, Gallagher was quick to support the VAR intervention that led to Longelo’s dismissal against Celtic.
“I think VAR has done really well for the referee because it’s a foul,” Gallagher stated. “This has to be a red card because the player makes no attempt to play the ball. The ball isn’t anywhere near him, and he just hauls him to the ground.”
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Dermot Gallagher agrees with the call to send Emmanuel Longelo off against Celtic
Gallagher noted that the situation at Celtic Park was a direct comparison to the foul committed by van Dijk on Richarlison during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Tottenham on Sunday.
In that instance, Richarlison was trying to run through on goal when van Dijk was pulling him by the shoulder and trying to stop his momentum.
The Spurs forward still got his shot off, but he felt he was being impeded and should have got a foul, which would have resulted in a straight red card for the Dutchman.
Gallagher disagreed with those cries involving van Dijk and Richarlison but felt the opposite with the foul on Maeda because of how it all came about.
Added to that, former Premier League forward Jay Bothroyd also explained why the Motherwell goalkeeper was crucial to the red card being dished out against Celtic.
Sky Sports presenter: “Why did the referee initially not give it, and was it the right call to send Emmanuel Longelo off?”
Dermot Gallagher: “I think it’s a foul. I think VAR has done really well for the referee because it’s a foul. It’s interesting, the referee has the best view, but he doesn’t give it.
“I think this falls into the van Dijk and Richarlison, where I said to you, if the referee did give a penalty, which I think would have been incorrect there. It’s got to be a red card.
“This has to be a red card because the player makes no attempt to play the ball. The ball isn’t anywhere near him, and he just hauls him to the ground, so it has to be a red card.”
Jay Bothroyd: “Just to add to that. The reason why that is a red card is because of where the keeper is. The keeper is out of the goal. It’s an open goal.
“If the keeper was in the goal, then I would be saying, ‘it’s not an obvious goalscoring opportunity.’ But because he wasn’t there. It is. And it was the right decision.”
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