Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm
Newcastle United were robbed today.
Yes, the United players should have taken more of their chances, especially first half.
However, the match officials were absolutely abysmal today, with Eddie Howe and his team the ones to suffer.
So many big decisions not going our way.
Garnacho should have got red carded for an over the top challenge in the first half, instead of only a yellow. The useless referee Andy Madley bottling that and only booking the Chelsea player, even worse the VAR not asking him to review it on the screen at the side of the pitch.
That totally overshadowed though by the moment that denied United the three points for sure.
Reece James had brought it back to 2-1 four minutes after the break and with the visitors threatening to get back into it, then came the key moment.
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 with great force, knocking him off the pitch.
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.
As you can see below, an absolute travesty BUT then just read below the official statement released by the Premier League explaining/justifying the no penalty decision…
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, the penalty is almost certainly scored by Anthony Gordon, who has been excellent this season on spot-kicks. Scored all the ones he has taken I am pretty sure.
The Premier League official statement reading as follows via Twitter/X:
‘The referee’s call of no penalty to Newcastle was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact from Chalobah on Gordon deemed to be side-to-side in a shielding action and the ball within playing distance.’
Honestly, both Madley and Bankes should get a lengthy ban, I reckon this is at least as bad as the scandalous penalty decision that WAS given for a supposed handball by Tino Livramento against PSG two years ago in.
Newcastle United were cheated that night out of a win in Paris, same today by these clowns.
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