Top ref criticises controversial Sheffield United v West Ham decisions - but here's why he's wrong

Referee Michael Salisbury was the centre of attention at Bramall Lane yesterday with some big decisions in Sheffield United's dramatic draw with West Ham. The Blades twice came from behind to earn a deserved point, with Oli McBurnie converting a penalty in the 103rd minute.

McBurnie won the penalty about five minutes earlier when he was wiped out by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who subsequently received extensive treatment on the field for a cut lip, and there was still time for more drama when the away side went up the other end and had a good penalty claim of their own when Anel Ahmedhodzic tangled with Jarrod Bowen.

TNT's partisan punditry duo of former West Ham players Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand agreed it should have been a penalty but Ahmedhodzic gave his side of the story after the game, claiming it was actually Bowen who fouled him by pulling him down as the ball came into the box. Ref Salisbury agreed and waved play on before blowing the final whistle soon after, leaving visiting players incensed.

Earlier Salisbury had given the Hammers a penalty when Gus Hamer fouled Danny Ings and then later sent off Blades substitute Rhian Brewster for a wild lunge at West Ham left-back Emerson, while Vladimir Coufal followed the United striker down the tunnel soon after following his second yellow card. All in all it was an eventful afternoon for the referee at Bramall Lane - with former top referee Dermot Gallagher claiming Salisbury got all the big decisions wrong.

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Speaking on Sky's ref watch this afternoon, Gallagher was asked for his verdict first on United's spot-kick. "My first reaction was penalty," he admitted. "We've seen goalkeepers come out and not get the ball, which he doesn't. But does McBurnie catch him with his arm in the air? Is it a free kick to the goalkeeper, as he doesn't continue the game?

"The referee gave a penalty on the field and VAR sided with him. But does McBurnie challenge him fairly? Maybe not. On first glance, if I was the referee I'd have given a penalty. VAR has got to be convinced the referee has made a clear and obvious error - and I don't think what he fed back to the VAR meant they could intervene."

Curiously, Salisbury was the VAR on duty earlier in the season when Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered Wolves' Sasa Kalajdzic in the sixth added minute at Old Trafford, but somehow failed to give a penalty. That decision drew widespread bemusement and derision, which could have played a part in his decision making here as another goalkeeper came out to punch a ball, missed and clattered into another forward instead.

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On the Ahmedhodzic/Bowen penalty controversy, Gallagher said: "I thought it was a penalty when I first saw it. The clue for me is the defender is looking away from the ball. He's not looking at the ball. The ball comes over his head, he drags Bowen down. I thought the referee had given a penalty but he gave handball against Bowen - his argument being that he thinks Bowen has got hold of the defender first and that's why his arm is in that position."

Replays show Salisbury's hunch was correct. Bowen also has hold of Ahmedhodzic and referee guidance is that if both players are grappling equally, then no foul has been committed and play should continue. It would have been an almighty risk for Ahmedhodzic to take, especially against a player in Bowen whose many strengths perhaps don't include dominating 6ft 2in centre-halves to win headers from crosses.

Gallagher also felt Salisbury should have immediately sent off Brewster following his wild lunge, which is a fair call given it looked a red card immediately 'live'. Brewster initially saw yellow for the foul before VAR advised him to have another look at his pitchside monitor and the decision was upgraded to a red. "That is a really, really poor challenge," Gallagher said. "The speed he's come, the distance he's come and the impact he's hit him with ... I don't think anyone would disagree that that is a red card."

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To compound the Hammers' misery, Coufal's first yellow card was for complaining that Brewster had not seen a straight red card. "He gets a yellow card for protesting about the original tackle" said Gallagher. "Whilst I can't condone his dissent towards the referee, I can understand why he's upset having seen a teammate receive a tackle like that. A few minutes later that yellow card becomes very important when he gets another one. There'll be no appeal on the second yellow card so he'll get a one-match ban."