In Behind the Whistle, former Premier League referee Chris Foy takes place a selection of important competition decisions of the latest action in the Sky BET championship.
Behind the whistle, supporters of EFL clubs want to provide insight into the considerations of decision-making and also clarifying certain calls to provide insight into how the laws of the game are interpreted.
As part of a regular position on Sky Sports after closing a matchday, Foy will be here to lead you through some referee in the EFL …
Sky bet Championship
Bristol City 2-1 Sunderland
Incident: Possible Red Card, Dogso (Sunderland)
Decision: Red Card Awarded (Sunderland)
Foy says: “In my opinion, this situation requires the referee to take into account a number of important factors to achieve the correct outcome of a red card that is awarded for denialing an obvious goal option (Dogso).
“The Bristol City no 21 gets goals from his opponent and is carelessly stumbled while he is at full speed, and without the fault the attacker would most likely get possession of the ball and have a clear chance of scoring a goal.
“That is why the referee correctly shows a straight red card.”
Norwich City 3-5 Portsmouth
Incident: Possible punishment, Handball (Norwich City)
Decision: No penalty (Norwich City)
Foy says: “Because three Portsmouth players slide to the ball at the same time, it becomes difficult for the referee to identify and to know whether or not the ball comes out of a hand or a body.
“Although I can sympathize here with the referee, I do believe that he has missed a handball attack with the repetitions that confirms that the ball hits the left hand of Portsmouth's no. 7, which is clearly extended from his body that makes him bigger. The correct decision here would be a penalty kick.”
Stoke City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Incident: goal scored, possible error (Stoke City)
Decision: No error (Stoke City)
Foy says: “This is an interesting incident and one that we rarely see in football, but still one that is good to explain from an educational perspective.
“The goalkeeper of Sheffield Wednesday has the ball safely in his hands and then tries to play it on the field, and with that he accidentally plays it against the back of a Stoke City player and in his own goal.
“Although the Stoke City player jumps up, the goalkeeper has his actions completely under control of his actions and cannot let the ball go out of his hands through any action by the attacker. The decision to play the ball was made purely by the” keeper and the referee stands the goal correctly to stand. “