Abdulhafiz TeslimThe Premier League has explained why the controversial late penalty awarded to Liverpool against Newcastle United was allowed to stand, despite furious protests from the home side and manager Matthias Jaissle.
Liverpool appeared to be heading towards defeat at St James’ Park before a dramatic stoppage-time moment changed the outcome. With the visitors desperately searching for an equaliser, the ball was sent into the Newcastle penalty area and initially cleared by the Magpies.
However, the loose ball eventually reached Liverpool substitute Victor Muñoz, who drove into the box and attempted to get around Newcastle defender Lewis Hall.
As Muñoz tried to move past him, Hall shifted across to his left and made contact with the Liverpool winger’s knee and thigh. Muñoz immediately went to ground, prompting referee Stuart Attwell to point to the penalty spot.
The decision sparked huge protests from Newcastle players and supporters, who felt the contact was far too minimal to justify a penalty at such a crucial stage of the match.
VAR subsequently reviewed the incident but did not overturn Attwell’s decision. Instead, the Video Assistant Referee agreed that the contact was sufficient for the penalty to stand.
Dominik Szoboszlai then stepped up in the ninth minute of stoppage time and produced a stunning finish into the top corner, rescuing a point for Liverpool and leaving Newcastle furious.
The Premier League later provided an explanation through its Match Centre account, confirming that VAR had reviewed the challenge and backed the referee’s original decision.
The explanation stated that Hall “doesn’t play the ball” and “makes clear contact”, while VAR concluded that there was “knee into thigh contact”, confirming the on-field penalty decision.
Despite that explanation, Jaissle was clearly unhappy with the call. Speaking after the match, the Newcastle boss described the decision as “very soft” and warned that consistently awarding penalties for similar incidents could lead to an increase in spot-kicks across the league.
“It’s a very soft decision. If you start giving those, there will be an abundance of penalties in the future,” Jaissle said.
Former Newcastle and Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew also questioned the decision during his appearance on talkSPORT, arguing that the contact was minimal and that the referee should have allowed the game to continue.
However, there was a contrasting view from Liverpool’s side. Ryan Gravenberch insisted that he considered Hall’s challenge a clear foul, while former players Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge also acknowledged that the decision was harsh but ultimately understandable because there was genuine contact.
The controversy therefore remains open to debate. Newcastle will feel they were denied a deserved victory by a marginal decision, while Liverpool can point to the Premier League’s explanation and the fact that Hall made contact with Muñoz inside the box.
Ultimately, VAR judged that the contact met the threshold for intervention, and Szoboszlai’s dramatic penalty ensured Liverpool left St James’ Park with a share of the points.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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