Newcastle United 2-2 Chelsea: Joe Buck match reaction
A former Premier League player and referee have hit out at the controversial decision that went against Newcastle United in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
Newcastle United should have been awarded a penalty in their 2-2 draw with Chelsea at St James’ Park on Saturday.
The pair analysed the incident which saw Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon barged to the ground by Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah inside the penalty box. The score was 2-1 at the time with Reece James scoring early in the second half to pull a goal back for Chelsea after Nick Woltemade’s first-half brace.
A penalty for Newcastle would have handed them a great opportunity to go 3-1 ahead but instead it wasn’t given and the visitors found an equaliser shortly after through Joao Pedro.
Eddie Howe slams controversial NUFC penalty decision
Newcastle had several penalty shouts waved away in the game but their main protest was surrounding the incident between Gordon and Chalobah.
The Premier League Match Centre issued a statement explaining Andy Madley’s decision not to award a penalty and the subsequent VAR check that upheld the referee’s decision.
It read: “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.”
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Reacting to the decision, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: “I thought the Anthony Gordon one was the standout one for me.
“I think anywhere else on the pitch, that's a blatant free kick. When it went to VAR and of course they check everything, I thought this was going to be overturned.
“It's a clear error because that's a clearer penalty, as I've seen. I think the defender only focuses on Ant. They've said it's shielding, but I don't agree with that analysis. I'm really disappointed that wasn't given.
“This one decision, I think, was wrong. I think that's where VAR really should intervene. Yeah, it's a difficult one to work out because seeing it live, I thought it was clear.”
Former Premier League referee: “It’s a penalty”
Speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch both former Premier League referee Gallagher and ex-player Bothroyd were in agreement that a penalty should have been awarded.
Gallagher, who often explains why referees may have come to a certain decision, could not defend Madley’s decision on this occasion.
“I think it’s a penalty,” he said. “If you look at it [Chalobah] is aggressive, he’s nowhere near the ball, he looks at the man rather than the ball. I think it’s a penalty.”
Bothroyd then took aim at the VAR explanation as to why a penalty wasn’t awarded to Newcastle due to Chalobah supposedly ‘shielding’ the ball out of play.
“They said that he was shielding the ball out,” he added. “Shielding the ball out is not like that.
“This is one thing that really annoys me when it comes to defenders, shielding the ball is when the ball is here [between defender and byline] and you’re not letting the attacker come around you, that’s what it is.
“To describe that scenario as shielding the ball, it’s more of a body check because no one is in control of the ball, if anything Anthony Gordon is running in the line of the ball. Trevoh Chalobah has just come across and body checked him out of the way.
“That should be a penalty all day, anywhere else on the pitch it’s a free-kick. The terminology the people in the VAR room are using doesn’t back up what they’re saying.
“They’re digging a hole from themselves because that is not shielding the ball at all and it should have been given as a penalty.”
Gallaghher added: “He’s right. He’s not shielding the ball out, it’s a penalty.
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