Son penalty decision right despite the lack of contact
If you want to know how difficult it is to be a top-flight referee, then yesterday’s game between Arsenal and Tottenham was the perfect example, and particularly Mike Dean’s decision to award Son Heung-min a penalty for a challenge by Rob Holding.
On first view, I thought it was a penalty, as did Mike. Holding slides in front of his opponent and appears to catch him. Mike was excellently positioned, took his time and pointed to the spot.
However, television replays showed Holding did not touch Son, with the Tottenham forward going to ground far too easily.
But what makes this decision so difficult is that you could argue it is still a penalty, even though no contact has been made. Law 12 states that a direct free-kick is awarded if a player makes a challenge “considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force”.
Nowhere does it mention contact must be made. We have seen players sent off for two-footed challenges where they make no contact, but the intent is clear.
Holding’s challenge was desperate and, as a result, careless. He made no contact because Son took evasive action rather than because he took any care to avoid his opponent.
Mike was also correct to penalise Jan Vertonghen for handball and award Arsenal a penalty, while the defender was fortunate to only be shown a second yellow rather than a straight red for his challenge on Alexandre Lacazette.
Then there were the celebrations and the tussle that followed Eric Dier shushing the Arsenal fans. I would expect Mike to put in his report anything that potentially incited the crowd, as that clearly did (and as Pierreemerick Aubameyang did, too). I felt he dealt with the situation well.
Overall I think Mike did well and deserves great credit. It is one of the toughest fixtures and he handled it more than capably.