Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that Newcastle United should have been awarded a penalty in the build-up to their disallowed goal on Saturday.
The Toon had to make do with a point after Tyrick Mitchell’s own goal was overturned by VAR due to an alleged foul by Joe Willock on keeper Vicente Guaita as the two looked to contest the ball.
A decision that expectedly left manager Eddie Howe bemused as his side’s winless run stretched to five matches.
The refereeing body PGMOL have since come out and admitted that they got the decision wrong which will only heighten the Magpies’ frustrations and now former official Gallagher has had his say on the controversy:
Speaking on the Ref Watch programme on Sky Sports (via Football Daily) he said: “He can either give a penalty which I think it is because I think it’s a foul. Or he can take the option he did which I think is the worst option but I think that option has arisen because I think we was driven down a very narrow path viewing that incident rather than the whole scene.”
While nothing in hindsight can award Newcastle a victory which would have been a very probable outcome should the goal have stood or indeed a penalty been given, Gallagher’s verdict only adds fuel to the fire surrounding VAR.
Newcastle fans will already feel completely aggrieved by the technology with the Chronicle identifying six instances where the club have been possibly done wrong.
Nevertheless, still without a victory since the opening day of the season, Howe will be focused on returning to winning ways when the team travel to face West Ham on Saturday rather than wallowing in what might have been.
