'It's a foul' - Ex-referee weighs in on Leeds United penalty incident vs Norwich City as Georginio Rutter 'offside' assessed

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Leeds United were denied a penalty against Norwich because Borja Sainz was adjudged to have got the ball during a challenge with Wilfried Gnonto - although that call was incorrect.

Leeds were unfortunate to see huge claims for a spot-kick waved away by referee Josh Smith, following a coming together that started outside the box but appeared to continue into it. Gnonto beat Sainz with a quick turn and after being held back, was tripped by an outstretched leg as he crossed the white line.

Gnonto knocked the ball away with his last touch before falling to the ground under contact from Sainz, with referee Smith opting against awarding a penalty or free-kick. Looking back on the incident, former top-flight official Gallagher admitted it was a foul on the Whites winger but gave his verdict on Smith’s thought process.

“I think it’s a foul, but whether it’s inside the penalty area or not is difficult to say,” Gallagher told Sky Sports. “I think the referee thinks the Norwich player plays the ball because of the angle it goes at, because he doesn't give a foul. He doesn't even give a free-kick. If you look, I think he thinks the Norwich player kicks it but he doesn't. Gnonto actually kicks it.

“If he thinks it's a lower-body challenge, free-kick. If somebody goes with a trip, [the foul] is where [contact] is, but if someone pulls and pushes… it all depends on whether he's watching the ball or the feet. Referees tend to watch for a trip and if he thinks it's a trip, he'll go for a free-kick but he genuinely believes the Norwich player plays it.”

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Asked what VAR would have made of the decision, Gallagher added: “They'd have played on because the referee didn't give anything and VAR can't give a free-kick. He'd have fed back ‘I think he's played the ball’, and they'd say he hasn’t but it's outside the box.”

Former players Sue Smith and Stephen Warnock were also present when looking back on the incident, with both adamant that Leeds should have had a penalty. The pair agreed that contact from Sainz continued into the box and was strong enough to impede Gnonto.

Anger towards officials only intensified as the first-half wore on, with Junior Firpo seeing a goal chalked off on the half-hour mark when Georginio Rutter was flagged offside. Replays showed the call to be incredibly tight and Farke has suggested a certain camera angle shows the Leeds man to be onside.

The German also revealed he has a dozen letters of apology from officials for incorrect calls and that Leeds would almost certainly have gone up automatically, had there been VAR in the Championship. And Gallagher admitted that if Firpo’s effort had been at Wembley on May 26, there would have been the technology present.

“Assistant’s call isn't it,” he said. “You think it's offside but he thinks he's got a different camera angle. What I'll say is if it goes to the final, whichever team goes through, they will have VAR at Wembley so that decision will be allowed to play out before going back to check.”