Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm
Newcastle United have experienced some shocking decisions against them but this takes the biscuit.
You might look at the game overall and claim Chelsea almost deserved a point, as they improved in the second half.
However, the fact remains, the match officials cheated United out of a win today.
Newcastle should have been home and dry by the break after battering Chelsea in the first half.
Leading 2-0 with two Nick Woltemade goals, it should have been four or five instead when referee Andy Madley blow for half-time.
Reece James brought it back to 2-1 four minutes after the break and Joao Pedro equalised on 66 minutes. However, that is not how it would have played out if the match officials had done their jobs.
On 55 minutes Anthony Gordon had run onto a ball in the penalty area and Chalobah just came across, made no attempt to play the ball and simply ran full on into Gordon.
The most obvious penalty you could imagine.
Incredibly, referee on the pitch Andy Madley didn’t give it.
Then beyond incredibly, the VAR Peter Bankes didn’t.
Just have a look at this and explain to me why it wasn’t a penalty…
Should this have been given? 🤔
Newcastle’s call for a penalty is denied following a challenge from Trevoh Chalobah. @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/1Zl62O3fV1
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 20, 2025
If that is given, Chalobah at least gets a yellow and odds on that the penalty is scored by Anthony Gordon.
With that, the goal by James six minutes earlier would have been by the by, as all the wind would have been taken out of Chelsea’s sails and I reckon Newcastle United would then have regained their first half dominance and went on to win comfortably.
Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United :
Woltemade 4, 20
Chelsea:
James 49, Pedro 66
Possession was Newcastle 47% Chelsea 53%
Total shots were Newcastle 11 Chelsea 13
Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Chelsea 4
Corners were Newcastle 6 Chelsea 4
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 Chelsea 22
Newcastle team v Chelsea:
Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Ramsey (Willock 89), Tonali, Bruno, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 73), Gordon (Barnes 72), Woltemade (Wissa 73)
Unused subs:
Ruddy, Joelinton, Alex Murphy, Shahar, Neave