Question Number: 33309

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/4/2019

RE: Competitive Adult

Peter Babbage of Hjorring, Denmark asks...

Watching the Newcastle v Liverpool match Im a little puzzled. Aleaxander-Arnold clearly stopped the ball going in the net by his arm. It came out and the Newcastle player scored. Yes ok no red card as aa ogso was taken. Two points really. Should Alexander not have had a yellow card? Also if the Newcastle player had blazed it wide, I can only assume that there would have been no penalty or red card as he still has a clear gso?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
Yes the Liverpool player should have been cautioned. If the referee plays advantage on a DOGSO the offender is cautioned whether or not a goal is scored. This law has changed from a discretionary caution to a mandatory one. The wording in recent times said the player MAY BE cautioned and in 2016 Law 12 was again updated to clarify that a player who tries unsuccessfully to handle the ball to stop a goal being scored should receive a caution.
I suppose the debate could also be around what did the referee see in real time. Maybe he missed the deliberate handling? The fact that the goal was scored allowed the referee the luxury of not having to make a decision. I watched it a few times and the first few angles I was just not sure yet on closer viewing it was certainly deliberate handling.
If the goal was not subsequently scored then in my opinion the only possible outcome would have been a penalty kick and a red card. Referees are advised to use *wait and see* in such situations so advantage does not arise really.
From media reports it reads like Newcastle players did not know the law as it is being reported they berated the referee for not sending off the player. Nothing was denied so it could not be a sending off.
Some argue that it would have been more advantageous to award a penalty kick and send off the player. That is with hindsight and a goal is the greatest advantage that can be played.
Imagine had the infamous Suarez handling against Ghana had resulted in a goal and the referee did not wait and see, went back with a red card and a penalty kick that was subsequently missed?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Peter,
yes I agree with you, a caution show the yellow card for the attempt to deny if indeed that was what the referee saw but since no card I will assume the referee felt the goal scored was sufficient and the handling not deliberate or went unseen?

The real point here in your question is if the 2nd follow up shot missed would the referee have to send off the player if it was deliberate handling that stopped the first shot from entering the goal? In my opinion yes, the 2nd miss does not change the FACT (if seen as that by the referee) if the decision was the first deliberate handling ACTUALLY denied a goal not just an opportunity so a miss fire on the second shot after, turns a caution goal kick off scenario into a red card PK scenario.
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33316