Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has now reacted to two contentious moments from Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday.
The Red Devils left Craven Cottage on the weekend with their first Premier League point of the 2025-26 campaign after a disappointing second-half performance.
Manchester United took the lead over Fulham after the break from a Bryan Mbeumo corner, with Rodrigo Muniz inadvertently putting the ball in the back of his own net.
However, the Red Devils were unable to maintain their lead in the second half and Marco Silva’s men climbed back into the Premier League contest in the 73rd minute.
Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench for Fulham and the ex-Arsenal talent found the back of the net past United shot-stopper Altay Bayindir to secure the equaliser.
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Calvin Bassey fouls Mason Mount, resulting in a penalty during the Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in 2025 in London, England.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Dermot Gallagher makes his position perfectly clear on Man Utd’s penalty vs Fulham in the Premier League draw
Manchester United wasted a huge chance against Fulham in the first half of Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw after Bruno Fernandes skied his penalty at Craven Cottage.
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Chris Kavanagh pointed to the penalty spot after VAR told the referee to review an incident at the pitchside monitor involving Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and Mason Mount.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher has said that the “evidence is there” to support Chris Kavanagh’s decision to award a penalty to United.
“I do think the first one is a penalty,” he explained.
“People will say [Luke] Shaw probably commits a foul as well, but Bassey does commit the first foul. Mount goes by him, and as he goes by him, he grabs him.
“We’ve been told this season that, if somebody grabs somebody around their waistline and, with two hands, throws them to the ground, a non-football act is going to be penalised.
“The evidence is there. I think that’s a penalty.”
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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher speaks out on what VAR said about another Man Utd incident vs Fulham
Leny Yoro connected with Bryan Mbeumo’s cross in the second half and the United star’s header took a huge deflection off Rodrigo Muniz for the opener on Sunday.
But United’s second-half opener sparked discourse around whether or not it should have stood after Leny Yoro was spotted shoving Calvin Bassey in the build-up.
When asked about the incident involving Yoro and Bassey, Gallagher pointed out that VAR suggested that it was not enough to warrant a foul from the challenge.
"I think that it should have been a foul"
Jay Bothroyd believes that Manchester United's goal against Fulham should have been ruled out for a foul on Calvin Bassey by Leny Yoro. pic.twitter.com/Nswq3rTCHe
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 25, 2025
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“The other one looks bad because he puts his hands on his back, there’s no doubt about that,” Gallagher added.
“I listened to the VAR and they said it was more just moving him out of the way.
“I can understand Fulham being annoyed, but the VAR said it wasn’t an impactful push.”
United will now face League Two side Grimsby Town at Blundell Park for the start of their 2025-26 Carabao Cup campaign on Wednesday evening.