‘That’s a penalty’ – Ex-FIFA ref hits out at Newcastle vs Tottenham controversy as footage emerges
Tottenham’s draw with Newcastle United was shrouded in controversy after the Magpies benefited from a questionable penalty decision.
Cristian Romero scored a sensational brace as Tottenham drew 2-2 with Newcastle at St James’ Park on Tuesday, after Anthony Gordon had put the home side ahead from the spot.
Rodrigo Bentancur was adjudged to have fouled Dan Burn in the Tottenham penalty box following a corner, with the two players wrestling as the ball came in.
Thomas Bramall had initially ignored the incident, but changed his mind when asked to have a second look by video assistant referee (VAR) Paul Tierney.
Thomas Frank is under no immediate pressure at Tottenham following the draw, which saw his side fight back well to earn a point.
Bobby Madden clear on Newcastle penalty despite controversy
Richarlison struggled against Newcastle, with Tottenham‘s two goals coming from an unexpected source.
After Bruno Guimaraes had put the home side ahead, Frank‘s side would find themselves level just seven minutes later when Romero powered a diving header into the bottom corner.
Their lead would not last long, but it would be the defender who found the equaliser once again in stoppage time.
| Newcastle United | Match stats | Tottenham |
| 53% | Possession | 47% |
| 19 | Shots | 8 |
| 7 | Shots on target | 2 |
| 2.04 | Expected goals (xG) | 0.75 |
| 11 | Corners | 8 |
And in stunning fashion, too, with the Argentine finding the net with an acrobatic effort that trickled past Aaron Ramsdale in the Newcastle goal.
Tottenham believe that goal should have been the winner, but former FIFA referee Bobby Madden does not agree.
“It’s football, not rugby,” Madden wrote to Instagram on Wednesday. “This is a clear penalty.
“The defender has no interest in the ball and is only focused on the attacker. Once the ball is in play his obstruction develops into a foul.”
“You can complain about consistency all you like, but that’s a penalty,” Madden added.
What did Thomas Frank say about the penalty decision?
Some football fans would suggest that if the same standards were applied to every corner, referees may end up giving several penalties in every single game.
Frank was bemused by the decision, and said: “It was an absolute mistake from the VAR. Even speaking to some from Newcastle, [they] don’t think it’s a penalty and we need consistency.”
Consistency has always been the main problem affecting Premier League referees, and it seems to come to light on every matchweek.
The harsh reality for both Frank and the Tottenham fans is that they can almost guarantee that they will see a similar situation go unpunished in the coming days.