Gallagher Explains Why Tottenham Were Denied Dramatic Late Penalty Against Leeds” Former Premier League

⚪ “Gallagher Explains Why Tottenham Were Denied Dramatic Late Penalty Against Leeds”
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has delivered his verdict on the controversial incident that saw Tottenham Hotspur denied a late penalty appeal during their tense clash against Leeds United.
The major talking point came deep into stoppage time when midfielder James Maddison went to ground following a challenge from Felix Nmecha inside the penalty area. Spurs players immediately appealed for a spot-kick, believing contact had clearly been made.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Gallagher admitted that his first instinct was that the referee would point to the penalty spot.
He explained: “My first thought when I saw it was, ‘blimey, they’ve got a penalty.’ You were already 13 minutes into stoppage time.”
However, after reviewing the replay, Gallagher believed the officials ultimately reached the correct decision. According to the former FIFA-listed referee, Nmecha managed to make contact with the ball before colliding with Maddison — a crucial detail that changed the outcome of the call.
Gallagher added: “When you see the replay, he does just catch the ball, there’s no doubt about that. But it’s one of those moments where he gets a bit lucky, because if he doesn’t touch the ball, it’s clearly a penalty.”
The referee expert also revealed surprise that VAR needed to intervene before the on-field official maintained his original decision.
Gallagher further discussed another heated incident involving Ethan Ampadu, pointing out that the Leeds captain’s reaction provided an important clue for officials.
“I was surprised the referee needed VAR assistance,” Gallagher said. “The clue for me was that Ampadu was actually jumping. That tells you how high the opponent’s foot was. It didn’t just catch him in the face — it caught him while he was jumping. That’s a very high boot.”
The dramatic encounter has continued to spark debate among fans, with many Tottenham supporters still convinced their side should have been awarded the decisive late penalty.