The Premier League have given their reasoning for allowing VAR to intervene during Newcastle United's clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday evening.
Rodrigo Bentancur was picked up by VAR holding Dan Burn in the area during a Magpies corner, however, referee Tom Bramall seemingly saw nothing wrong with the coming together at first. After a brief pause in play while VAR scrutinised the footage, the official was asked to review the footage and make a decision.
Upon review of the incident, Bramall opted to award a penalty in the hosts' favour. And shortly afterward, the Premier League explained their decision for allowing VAR to get involved.
Taking to X, the Premier League Match Centre wrote: "After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of no penalty to Newcastle United. Referee announcement: 'After review, Tottenham number 30 makes a holding offence at the back post and clearly does not look at the ball. My final decision is penalty kick.'"
Eddie Howe reacted to the decision after the game and said: "I hadn't seen it, I'm only seeing it now. The big thing is the defender isn't looking at the ball at all, he's looking at Dan [Burn]. I think it's probably the right call."
Jamie Carragher was heard on Sky Sports coverage criticising the decision to award a penalty to Newcastle, highlighting how Bentancur was seemingly trying to move away from burn at the end of the sequence. He said: "I am surprised by that...This would be harsh. At the end, he is trying to get away from Burn."
Regardless of Liverpool legend Carragher's view, the penalty was ultimately awarded as a result of a holding offence. Anthony Gordon stepped up to convert the spot kick past a floundering Guglielmo Vicario, much to the jubilation of a jam-packed St James' Park.
However, it wasn't to be the host's night in the grand scheme of things. It was a tale of two halves on Tyneside, as neither team was able to take an advantage in the opening period.
Bruno Guimaraes opened the scoring for the Magpies 71 minutes into the encounter, wrapping a pinpoint lay-off from Nick Woltemade into the side netting of Vicario's goal before wheeling off in celebration. It was Cristian Romero who levelled the match for the visitors just seven minutes later, however.
Mohammed Kudus received the ball on the right flank before whipping it into Romero in the centre of the area with pace, the defender getting the better of burn with a diving header into the back of Aaron Ramsdale's net. The seemingly-decisive spot kick was then awarded in the 82nd minute of the encounter, as Newcastle looked to close out a win and climb up the Premier League standings.
However, it was Romero who rose to the occasion once more, five minutes into stoppage time. Spurs crowded Ramsdale's box as Mathys Tel delivered a corner from the left, with the on-loan Southampton keeper punching the ball up rather than away from his area.
Romero then showed off acrobatic flair as he executed an overhead kick, the ball bouncing and bobbling through the United defence and past a scrambling Ramsdale to make the net bulge. As a result of the draw, Newcastle now sit 13th in the Premier League standings with five wins, four draws and five losses to show for their efforts.
On Spurs' second goal, Howe said: "We are disappointed with the first goal, it was a standard cross and we haven't defended it well enough.
"Second one, we didn't deal with the first contact then didn't stop the overhead kick. Somehow it went in. It's a painful one for us to take."
Next up for Howe's side is a clash at home with a newly-promoted Burnley come Saturday, December 6, before they make the trip to Leverkusen on Wednesday, December 10 in the Champions League. The Wear-Tyne Derby then takes place on Sunday, December 14.
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