Premier League explain why controversial Newcastle goal stood to leave Tottenham furious
01/04/2025 08:00 AM
The Premier League have revealed the reason VAR did not overturn Newcastle’s equaliser against Tottenham.
Anthony Gordon levelled for the visitors just two minutes after Dominic Solanke had opened the scoring.
However, the goal came in controversial fashion after a possible handball in the build-up.
Lucas Bergvall’s pass clearly struck the hand of Joelinton before falling to Bruno Guimaraes deep in the Spurs half.
The Brazilian then played in Gordon to find the bottom corner and cancel out Solanke’s opener.
A furious Ange Postecoglou was left with both hands raised on the touchline, while his players desperately pleaded with the referee.
A post on the Premier League Match Centre read: “The referee's call of goal was confirmed by VAR, who checked for a potential handball by Joelinton in the build-up and deemed that his arm was by his side, in a natural position and the contact was accidental.”
While Tottenham were left incensed by the decision, England legend Stuart Pearce agreed with the officials.
Reacting on commentary for talkSPORT, Pearce said: "It's certainly come off the hand of Joelinton, but he's not meant in any way shape or form. It's not deliberate.
"His arm was outside of his natural silhouette, it wasn’t banged to his side, but it was in a natural position.
"For me, that was not deliberate handball. He’s in real close quarters with Bergvall and he couldn’t move his hand out of the way.
"But the one thing you can say, Gordon finished it brilliantly across the goalkeeper, Austin had no chance.
"Tottenham were playing out from the back very quickly, they've got caught out again and all of a sudden the ball’s in the back of the net."
More to follow.
