Arsenal: Kai Havertz penalty award correct but Bournemouth goal should have stood, says former referee | OneFootball

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Arsenal's penalty award for a foul on Kai Havertz was correct but Bournemouth should have been awarded a goal, says former Premier League referee chief Dermot Gallagher.

The Gunners won 3-0 over Bournemouth on Saturday in a game littered with controversies, starting with Ryan Christie's tough tackle on Bukayo Saka, to Havertz's penalty and the Cherries' disallowed goal.

On the Christie foul, Gallagher said: "It should be punished, but I don't think it's a red card. It is high, but both boots are up. The referee sees an advantage and plays on, the VAR goes back and checks for a red card - I don't think it is."

Shortly afterwards, Havertz was judged to have been fouled by Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers, who later accused the Gunners forward of "dangling a leg" to win the foul.

He said: "Obviously he touches it past and dangles his left foot there. That’s the ref’s decision. It’s frustrating, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. I don’t know what else I can do, just come out and stand still?"

Gallagher has sympathy for Travers and Bournemouth but insists the decision to award the penalty and the decision not to overturn were correct.

He said: "When you see it in real-time, you think it's a penalty all day long. When you see it slowed down, it's totally different. But is this what we want to do, forensically diagnose every decision in slow motion? I'm not sure supporters do.

"Travers goes with his feet and doesn't get the ball. Once you commit like that, you have to get the ball. Is Havertz obliged to step over him? Only he can say, but he doesn't get the ball and the referee gives a penalty. I can understand why it's given on-field and I can understand why it's not overturned."

Finally, Bournemouth were denied a late consolation when Dominic Solanke was judged to have fouled David Raya in the same move. Gallagher believes the goal should have stood.

He said: "I expect a goal to be given. Solanke doesn't look at the ball, he gives him a little nudge but is it enough to knock the goalkeeper off balance like that? The goalkeeper looks as though he goes to get straight up so doesn't really think he's been fouled. I thought the easiest decision was to give a goal and it all goes away.

"The referee ruled there was a foul on the goalkeeper, he judged that was the first thing that happened and relayed that to VAR. VAR looked and confirmed it was a foul to him, but I did expect him to give a goal."