Controversial decision. Referee awards penalty to Newcastle after VAR review
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
Newcastle are hosting Arsenal in the sixth round of the English Premier League.
The Gunners had several promising chances to break the deadlock early on, but Nick Pope was flawless between the posts. In the 13th minute, a highly controversial episode unfolded, leaving Arsenal players in disbelief.
Gyokeres broke through one-on-one with the keeper following a clumsy back pass from the Magpies’ defender and went to ground after a collision with the goalkeeper. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, but subsequently changed his decision after consulting the video replay.
The freeze-frame clearly shows the Swedish striker losing his balance as he tried to nudge the ball forward before colliding with the keeper. On the video replay, the referee spotted Pope getting a touch on the ball, which led to the penalty being overturned. The controversial call drew a wry smile from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who responded with a round of sarcastic applause.
