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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport

You are the Ref No346: David de Gea

You are the Ref

Click to enlarge and debate the strip below the line.

Keith Hackett’s verdict

1) An awkward one – you have to play it by ear. Here’s how I’d judge it: if, after treatment, the player and physio both told me he was fine to carry on playing, then I’d say it would be fair to assume it wasn’t a genuine medical incident, that he was in control of himself, and that he deliberately denied an obvious goal. In those circumstances, I’d show him a red card and award a penalty. But if medical staff told me he could not carry on, I’d accept that it wasn’t a deliberate handball, and award a corner. Thanks to Simon Bowden.

2) Again, a decision you need to take some care with. The scoreline clearly points to the risk of some gamesmanship here. If you genuinely believe the team are not trying to con you, and that emotions are too raw, then you do have the option to abandon – just as Howard Webb did in 2012 when Patrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest. If, though, you have your doubts, you should ask the two teams to play out the remainder of the game. If the home side refuse, then you will have to abandon, including full details in your report so that the authorities can investigate. Liam Grimes wins the shirt.

3) If a foul starts outside the area and continues into it, you have the option to play advantage from the initial foul and penalise the “continued offence” inside the area. That is what you should do here: award the penalty. Thanks to Brian Quinn.

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