former ref's surprise view on VAR call shocks fans

In a buzzing post-match discussion on Sky Sports' 'Ref Watch', former referee Dermot Gallagher's views on a VAR incident in the Man City vs Man Utd game left everyone speechless. Man Utd pulled off a stunning comeback, 2-1, in Ruben Amorim's first derby. However, one moment in the game had fans puzzled. Rasmus Hojlund was tripped in the penalty area by Ruben Dias, and while VAR agreed no penalty was needed, many disagreed. Gallagher's take? He thought Hojlund went down too easily. He believed the striker was hoping for a penalty, not chasing the ball. Gallagher's co-hosts, Stephen Warnock and Sue Smith, weren't having it. They argued Dias' tackle was rash, and his leading leg brought Hojlund down. Gallagher just smirked, saying it's tough being a ref, and sticking to his view that the right call was made. Later, Gallagher agreed that a penalty should have been given for a challenge on Amad Diallo. The stats show Gallagher never gave Man Utd a penalty in his 31 games as a ref. All stats are from Transfermarkt, accurate as of 16/12/2024.