Eddie Howe slams Man Utd decision v Newcastle United after VAR U-turn discussion

Eddie Howe felt Newcastle United were denied a ‘stonewall’ penalty in their 3-2 defeat at Manchester United on Wednesday night.

Goals from Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund saw Man United claim a vital win over The Magpies at Old Trafford. Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall scored for Newcastle, who were denied a first-half penalty in the match.

As Newcastle trailed 1-0, Gordon went down under a challenge from Sofyan Amrabat inside the penalty area before Casemiro slid the ball to safety. Replayed showed Amrabat’s studs connected with Gordon’s heel as the Manchester United midfielder pulled the Newcastle man down.

Reflecting on the decision, Howe said after the game: “I was surprised [it wasn’t given] because I was watching it back - it's a stonewall penalty. 

“I thought it was a penalty. You have to see it one to three times to see where the contact is. I thought that’s what VAR was good at.”

The decision came on the same day news broke about Premier League clubs discussing the potential scrapping of VAR.

Howe added to the discussion: “I have always been in an era where the referee makes a decision and I back it.”

The result saw Newcastle drop to seventh in the Premier League table and with European qualification now out of their hands heading into the final day.

But it wasn’t necessarily a penalty decision but Newcastle’s failure to take chances that proved costly at Old Trafford.

“I think we did have chances and it felt like we could score at any moment,” Howe reflected. “The thing that cost us was the way we defended our goal.

“Our goal never felt at huge risk yet we conceded three goals. When you score two away from you expect to get something from the match, we shouldn't need to be scoring four goals to win a game.  “Away from home this year our record hasn't been good enough. Familiar scene for us. We conceded poor goals and ultimately that has cost us the game.

"Attacking-wise we were good and had a threat all game. We took our goals well. Frustrated we didn't get more.

"There's a chance and while there's a chance we'll give it everything we can.

"Anthony Gordon has been excellent for us. He took his goal well. He should have had a penalty as well."