Liverpool got lucky but there’s no big-team bias on penalty calls

Stuart Attwell, the on-field referee, was right not to award a Villa penalty when Alisson lunged at Danny Ings. There was contact, but it is unclear who initiated it.

Liverpool striker Salah was awarded a penalty for this challenge by Aston Villa defender Mings

JOHN POWELL/LIVERPOOL FC VIA GETTY IMAGES

Chelsea v Leeds United
There were plenty of incidents in this game — with Chelsea winning two penalties and Leeds one — and I have no issue with any of Chris Kavanagh’s three decisions. For Leeds’ penalty, Marcos Alonso clearly fouled Dan James.

I can understand why Chelsea’s first penalty appears harsh on Leeds. Raphinha did make contact with the ball, and that may explain the initial call of no penalty. However, VAR was right to intervene. Regardless of whether they make contact with the ball, players must be accountable when making a tackle. It was no surprise that Kavanagh needed only one look at the pitchside monitor to conclude the challenge was not clean.

For Chelsea’s second penalty, Mateusz Klich made a silly effort to clear, and kicked Antonio Rüdiger instead. It was a nailed-on spot kick.

Norwich City v Manchester United
United’s 1-0 victory came courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, which was correctly awarded by Darren England. Max Aarons had his arm around Ronaldo’s shoulder and while the striker may have exaggerated the foul there was enough contact to warrant the decision.

The Norwich head coach, Dean Smith, criticised England’s supposed lack of consistency and some fans argue that referees favour the more fashionable clubs. In reality, the “big” teams are more likely to attack, and the longer you spend in an opponent’s penalty area, the more chance you have of winning a penalty. When I refereed, I would never write team names in my book, just the kit colours, and that helped me to get into the right mindset.

Wolves midfielder Moutinho, right, pleads his case to referee Moss

DAVE THOMPSON/AP

Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
City also won 1-0 thanks to a second-half penalty and they felt they should have had another. The decision to award the penalty against João Moutinho was a tough one. If the arm is above the player’s shoulder and it makes contact with the ball, it is a penalty. The Wolves midfielder’s arm was raised, right, but the question for the referee, Jonathan Moss, was whether the ball hit his arm.

From the two angles we saw on television, one suggested it did and the other that it struck his armpit, though the video assistant may have had access to additional replays. Since it was not overturned, there must not have been enough evidence to show a clear and obvious error.

City also wanted a penalty when Max Kilman leaned in to block a Jack Grealish cross. Moss would have decided that Kilman’s arm was by his side, so no handball was given.

Brentford v Watford
This penalty was the most obvious. All referees love challenges like William Troost-Ekong’s on Saman Ghoddos. The Watford player dived in recklessly, and everyone in the stadium knew it was a foul.

Leicester City v Newcastle United
Eddie Howe, the Newcastle head coach, was furious that Leicester were awarded a penalty when Jamaal Lascelles was adjudged to have fouled James Maddison. It looked like a penalty in real time. Peter Bankes, the referee, felt there was contact. However, in slow motion, there is a case that Maddison pre-empted the challenge. I may well have given a penalty myself, but would have been disappointed when I saw the replay.

Burnley v West Ham United
No penalties were awarded in this game but Craig Dawson, the West Ham defender, thought he was fouled by Dwight McNeil in the penalty area. Again, contact alone is not enough. Dawson initiated the challenge, so he was the one at fault. No penalty.

In defence of VAR’s light touch
Besides Chelsea’s first penalty, which was rightly awarded on review, I was pleased to see VAR intervention kept to a minimum. The referee should only consult the monitor if replays indicate that a clear and obvious error was made and, while several decisions were marginal, they were not glaring errors. Video assistants are not there to re-referee every last incident and the on-field official’s decision remains key, because the threshold for overturning is high.

Chelsea defender Rudiger lies on the ground as Leeds players argue with referee Kavanagh

MATT DUNHAM/AP

Tony Cascarinio’s verdict: Two penalty spots would make it fairer
Antonio Rüdiger could not hide his delight while being interviewed on Match of the Day after winning two penalties for Chelsea in their victory over Leeds United. Players are laughing at how easy it is now to get a penalty in the Premier League.

I have long had a problem with penalties. The reward for being fouled in the area is often disproportionate to the severity of the challenge.

Chelsea’s second penalty is the perfect example. Rüdiger was standing with his back to goal on the edge of the box when Mateusz Klich made contact. Had Rüdiger not been fouled, it is difficult to see him fashioning a scoring opportunity, yet by going down under a weak challenge he effectively guaranteed his team a winning goal.

Penalties ensured that each of the top three won this weekend. We were told at the start of the season that players would not be able to win spot kicks by initiating contact with defenders yet this was how Mohamed Salah lured Tyrone Mings into fouling him for Liverpool’s penalty.

At Manchester City, it was a failure of technology and the VAR that meant João Moutinho, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, was penalised for a handball that wasn’t.

The number of penalties awarded has risen in the Premier League era. In 1992-93 there were 91 — about one every five games. Last season there were 125 — one every three. The rate this term is one every 3.8 matches but it is still far too easy to win them.

I have argued there should be two penalty spots: one from 12 yards and another from 18. The referee can decide where the kick should be taken based on the severity of the foul. If referees and football’s lawmakers are not prepared to make penalties more difficult to win, there has to be an alternative.