Breaking news: Mike Dean major update on Isidor Sunderland controversy: ‘I made some enquiries’.

Mike Dean believes Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor’s goal was correctly called out due to dispute during his team’s win away at Derby County.

 

Isidor believes he made up for missing two penalties in their last goalless draw with Burnley against the Rams on Tuesday (14 January). Enzo Le Fee knocked down Jobe Bellingham’s long pass forward, and the striker fired in off the underside of the bar, seemingly making it 2-0. However, after several minutes of discussion and with no flag from the linesman, the goal was eventually ruled out for offside, leaving the Sunderland player stunned. Dean has now explained why the goal was ruled out. The veteran Premier League referee told Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (12:59pm) “This is the correct decision. I made some enquiries this week because I knew we were gonna talk about it. When the ball’s played down the middle I think it’s Isidor’s offside in the middle. He doesn’t look offside but he is offside… I’m led to believe he was eight centimetres offside.

“Because he’s in an offside position when he crosses the line and scores, he’s impacted Derby’s defender number 32, who can’t stop him from battling for the ball. That’s why it wasn’t authorised. The referee was speaking with the Derby players because they requested handball, which is not permitted. “So, by the time he says, ‘Handball! Handball! Handball!’, the assistant referees ask, ‘Did the 32 impact him?'” He answers ‘sure he had’, and they give him the offside.”

After Clinton Morrison argued that the Derby player collided with Isidor and questioned how an eight cm difference could be detected, Dean responded: ‘I asked the question because he looks onside but apparently the thing that they use in the Championship is called Second Spectrum which tells them if he’s on or off’… It functions similarly to a VAR system, providing referees and assessors with facts and numbers to review. “The assistant referee doesn’t have to flag all the time to communicate with the referee; he has communicated; it’s taken a long time, a long process, and it could have been done a lot faster, that’s the only downside… but it’s the correct decision I’m told.”

Sunderland fans will still want answers over Isidor controversy

Football Insider Verdict

It would be surprising if many Black Cats fans were relieved by Dean’s frustrations here. While Dean argues the linesman is not required to flag, if he does not, fans inside the stadium will not know what is going on, something Sunderland supporters will have been hoping for here. Indeed, keeping supporters in the dark like way is unfair to those who devote so much time and money to attending matches. Aside from that, while the second spectrum may have been able to corroborate Isidor’s offside position following the game, such refereeing aids are not permitted in the Championship.