Former Premier League and FIFA referee Dermot Gallagher has given his verdict on Tomas Soucek’s handball against Chelsea.

The Blues were denied a late penalty in the 1-1 draw against West Ham despite Conor Gallagher’s low shot clearly striking Soucek on the hand.

“It’s definitely a penalty,” Gallagher told Sky Sports. “I’ve spoken to very few people who don’t think it’s a penalty.

“VAR felt it fell into this bracket of falling and the arm hitting the floor, and the ball striking the arm.

“If you look at Soucek, he doesn’t fall to the floor – he actually drives towards the ball. It’s a goalkeeper-type movement.

“I think that’s what the VAR got seduced by – the idea of falling to the floor. But again, if you look at it a few times, it’s certainly a handball penalty.”