'No longer a goalkeeper' – Dermot Gallagher makes Robert Sanchez claim in Erling Haaland penalty debate

There were a number of controversial calls during the Premier League clash last Saturday and Haaland was at the centre of most of them. The first one arrived as he had a strong penalty appeal turned down after being clipped by Robert Sanchez. His initial heavy touch on a Kevin De Bruyne pass perhaps spared the Brighton keeper.

Gallagher however disagreed and said Sanchez should have been penalised due to his decision to go with his feet.

“I think Penalty,” said Gallagaher speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch. “For me, the reason they did not give it is because they feel it is minimal contact and the ball was running away from him.

"For me, that goalkeeper is no longer a goalkeeper. Once he decides to go with his feet, as far as I'm concerned, he is a full-back and if a full back makes that tackle on a forward, then he's penalised.

He added: "He has chosen not to be a goalkeeper, they felt it was not a foul but I think it was.”

It was a game that saw Haaland and Manchester City return to form. The prolific Norwegian had endured a rare off day as City slipped to their first defeat of the campaign at Liverpool last week but he responded impressively by scoring twice against the Seagulls.

Both his goals came in the first half, the second from the penalty spot, but it took a fine Kevin De Bruyne strike to wrap up victory after Brighton rallied with a superb Leandro Trossard reply.

Haaland’s double took his tally since joining City to a remarkable 22 goals in just 15 appearances in all competitions. He now also has 17 Premier League strikes to his name, just six short of last season’s golden-boot winning total.

His first against Brighton was a controversial one as Haaland’s opener in the 22nd minute owed much to his pace and strength. He first lost Lewis Dunk as he chased a long pass from Ederson and then barged Adam Webster out of the way to claim the ball. With Sanchez caught off his line, Haaland calmly rolled the ball into the unguarded net.

Webster felt he was fouled but the goal was allowed to stand.

City’s second came just before the interval after Dunk was controversially ruled to have tripped Silva in the area.

Dunk was adamant the Portuguese had initiated the contact but there was also a suggestion he may have been pushed in the back by another defender. Referee Craig Pawson initially played on but his decision was eventually overturned following a VAR review.

Haaland did not waste the opportunity and smashed home from the spot.

Webster said to BBC Sussex: “The second one, [Lewis] Dunky has gone to block the shot, Bernardo has not taken the shot, he just kneed it. He’s kicked his leg out and all of a sudden it looks like a foul when you slow it down, but in real time, there is no way he is going to get the ball after him. It’s not a pen.”