Pundit lambasts Hugo Lloris as controversial Tottenham footage re-analysed
Callum Wilson did not foul Hugo Lloris in the buildup to Newcastle United’s opener against Tottenham.
That’s according to former Hibernian striker Tam McManus, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the VAR controversy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In Newcastle’s 2-1 victory on Sunday (23 October), Wilson opened the scoring by chipping into the Spurs goal from 25 yards.
In the buildup, Lloris came out to meet the Newcastle striker and fell to the ground after contact was made just outside of the box.
Despite protests from several Tottenham stars and a lengthy VAR check, the goal was given.
McManus insists this was the right call.
“I was really happy that the referee gave that, to be honest,” McManus told Football Insider‘s Ben Wild.
“As an ex-striker myself, it feels like goalkeepers are a protected species at times, you can’t go near them.
“They flop down and charge out trying to take striker’s heads off at times and nothing gets given. I thought Callum Wilson has gone in and Lloris has run into him.
“There is nowhere for Wilson to go, he can’t do anything at all. It’s a fantastic finish, at first it might look easy but to clip it over the goalkeeper and Eric Dier, it was a great finish.
“It would have been awful if that had been disallowed.”
Miguel Almiron scored Newcastle’s second as they recorded their fifth win of the season and moved up to fourth in the table.
Eddie Howe’s side are next in action against Aston Villa on Saturday (29 October).
In other news, Kieran Maguire backs PIF to revive controversial Mike Ashley scheme amid £100m Newcastle claim.