Watford forward Troy Deeney has questioned why Callum Wilson flung himself to the floor to earn a penalty during Saturday's draw with Fulham.
With the Magpies trailing 1-0, Wilson was felled by Fulham defender Joachim Andersen in the penalty area and after consulting with VAR, referee Graham Scott awarded a penalty and showed the Denmark international defender a red card.
Wilson's theatrical fall, though, was criticised by Match of the Day host Gary Lineker on Twitter, who accused the 28-year-old of diving.
And Deeney, too, was unimpressed as he felt Wilson, who scored from the resulting spot kick, was in a good enough position to stay on his feet and slot the ball past Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola regardless of the foul.
“It’s a tough one," Deeney told TalkSPORT when asked about the incident.
"Naturally, I’m sitting here thinking that’s not a penalty but with a player’s hat on, you go down because VAR needs that.
"But it is a poor one. I would’ve backed Callum to score anyway so I don’t know why he has gone."
Meanwhile, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher felt the whole controversy could have been avoided.
Andersen actually started pulling Wilson's shirt outside of the area and speaking to Sky Sports, Gallagher feels Scott should have blown then and awarded a free kick, while showing the Fulham defender a second yellow card as opposed to a straight red.
“I actually think the easiest decision here, was once the shirt is being pulled, whistle and second yellow card, because he is already on a yellow card, so send him off and everything goes away," Gallagher explained.
“All this goes away, it is just avoided. But, because it was allowed to go on, we have the debate then, it is a penalty?
“The referee gave a penalty on-field, VAR then decided there was possibly no covering player.
“It all got a bit complicated and in the end we end up with a penalty and red card.
“I think it would have been a red card anyhow. It was a very untidy process but could have been avoided.
“Once he let it go into the penalty area he thought it was foot on foot contact.
“I just think the easiest solution I come back to, is when the shirt starts been pulled, the guy is already on a yellow card and stopping a promising attack.
“Whistle, red card, nobody can argue with that because it is two yellow cards and all that followed we wouldn’t be talking about.”
