Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

News

HomeNewsArsenalEnglish Premier League

Dermot Gallagher now shares whether Gabriel Martinelli’s goal should’ve actually been ruled out for Arsenal yesterday

Milo Clay

Mon 18 September 2023 12:15, UK

Dermot Gallagher has backed the VAR’s call to rule out Arsenal star Gabri💯el Martinel♔li’s first-half effort against Everton yesterday.

The former Premier League referee has been speaking on and discussed the decision to disallow Martinelli𝓀’s effort.

Martinelli thought he had opened the scoring for Arsenal after producing a bril🔜liant finish in the 19th m🔜inute.

The Brazilian tucked the ball past Jordan P🍸ickford after being sent through on goal by Fabio Vieira.

But Eddie Nketiah was judged to have been offside in the👍 build-up after Gabriel Magalhaes’ attempted pass was bl꧑ocked into the Arsenal forward’s path.

And despite some controversy surrounding the decision yesterday, Dermot Gallagher feels the VAR made the correct call. 

Gallagher on Martinelli disallowed goal

Speaking on Sky Sports, Gallagher shared why he thinks Martinelli’s g📖oal was♕ correctly ruled out.

“I think it’s a good call by the assistant because Nketi꧋ah is in an offside positꦓion, starts in an offside position,” the former referee said.

“He g🐽oes back as Gabriel plays the ball up it strikes Beto, but I don’t think th🍨ere’s any way you can say he’d kick the ball back like that.

“So, therefore he’s in an offside position and it goes to Martinelli who scores and VAR correctly disa𝔉llows it.”

“If you look at Beto, he’s gone to close him down.𓂃 We had similar last season with James Milner in the Ever♊ton vs. Liverpool game. It struck Milner as he was trying to block a cross.

“You see Beto there, he’s trying to bl🍎ock that ball off and it flies off his shin because it’s played at speed it goes to Nketiah. You can see he’s offside, I think good call.”

Gallagher was then asked if Beto 🉐deliberately attempted to play the ball, which would have meant that Nketiah would ha🐼ve been onside.

He added: “▨He does [stick his leg out] but he goes to block the ball. He deflects the ball and that’s the difference.”ꦰ

Of course,♓ the decision ultimately didn’t matt🍷er for Arsenal in the end as they picked up a 1-0 win at Goodison Park.

But it would have been interesting to see the reaction had Arsenal dropped points or fallen ꧑to a defeat on Sunday.