Former referee Dermot Gallagher has given his verdict over whether Kieran Trippier should have received a red card during Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Newcastle on Sunday.
City fought back from 3-1 down at a raucous St James' Park as they maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season. Ilkay Gundogan got Pep Guardiola's side off to the perfect start with a goal after just five minutes, but City's dominance soon faded.
Newcastle went on to score the next three goals in-a-row to make it 3-1 to Eddie Howe's side as City faced their first real test of the season. The Blues eventually responded with two quick-fire goals on the hour mark as Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva scored goals just four minutes apart to bring the sides level.
ALSO READ: John Stones reacts to Man City missed chances vs Newcastle
The game then saw its most controversial moment as Trippier launched a knee-height boot at Kevin de Bruyne in the 72nd minute and was subsequently shown a straight red card for the tackle. De Bruyne was thankfully unhurt as he picked himself off the ground to angrily shove the Newcastle defender in response to what he saw as a nasty challenge.
However, referee Jarred Gillett was then asked by VAR to review the decision on the monitor. After watching the tackle again and having discussions with VAR official Peter Bankes, the red card was downgraded to a yellow as Newcastle kept all 11 players on the pitch.
After the match Guardiola was asked whether he thought the right decision was made.
He said: "I didn't watch it [a replay]. I watched the action, he wanted to stop heavily a counter-attack but I didn't watch on TV so I don't know. If a referee went to the VAR, saw the action and if he believes it's not a red card it's not a red card. The referee went to the VAR and someone said from the sky - not Sky TV, from heaven - and say 'go to VAR review', it's because they saw no intention or aggression."
Former referee Dermot Gallagher has now had his say on the incident as he told Sky Sports' 'Ref Watch ' what he made of the decision.
He said: "I can understand why the referee has given a red card. He's got the 'staring down the barrel of a gun' view, he thinks he has kicked him across the knee. I think Peter Bankes was excellent, he looked at it and asked Jarred Gillett what he'd seen.
"He came back to him and said, 'I'd describe it as a cynical tackle, but not serious foul play.' He said, 'he hasn't caught him with the studs across the knee, I'd advise you to go to the monitor and have a look'.
"He went and had a look and, to his credit, he agreed and the right decision was made."
READ NEXT:
