GUNNERS’ REFEREE GOT IT ALL SPOT ON

THE referee got all three key decisions spot on.

Now, that’s something you don’t hear very often!

Swedish whistler Glenn Nyberg was right not to give a last-gasp penalty for Bukayo Saka and made the right call on Harry Kane’s elbow on Gabriel.

And Nyberg (right) saw common sense when not giving a penalty against Gabriel for picking the ball up as that would have been the most bizarre decision. I can understand why Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel was frustrated. The referee had blown his whistle.

David Raya rolled the ball to Gabriel. It was in play, no doubt about it.

But Gabriel gained no advantage, clearly just had a

“moment” and wanted to take the free-kick short to Raya to restart play.

Technically a penalty but, as TV pundit Jamie Carragher, rightly says, common sense prevailed. It would have been stupid.

Kane’s challenge has also been under the microscope.

Former top referee Keith Hackett even went as far as saying it was a “nailed-on red card” because Kane was reckless, used excessive force and, most importantly, knew what he was doing as he glanced round. That’s the key point, in my view.

I don’t think he glances round to see where Gabriel is so he can smash him in the face. Kane glances round to jostle, make space and see what he was doing.

He had such a ding-dong battle with Arsenal’s defenders all night and was excellent as he linked up the play and held the ball up. It was a centre forward’s play rather than a malicious elbow so therefore I think it was yellow in the spirit of the game rather than a red.

Finally, I cannot understand why people think Saka’s was a penalty. Not for the life of me.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer rushes out, yes Saka has no need to go down (above), but since when has that been a defence of any sort?

Saka initiates the contact, thrusts his leg out, draws the contact and goes down. It’s not a penalty.

Not in a million years and thankfully UEFA use VAR sparingly and we didn’t get an endless check.