VAR controversy, Arsenal lost painfully to Newcastle

Newcastle and Arsenal played out a tight contest at St. James' Park in round 10 of the Premier League. The winner and loser were decided by just one goal. There was no standout player in the match, but the referees and VAR were the focus.

In the first half, the ball possession rate between the two teams was not much different. Arsenal was superior in terms of the number of shots, twice as many as the home team. However, coach Mikel Arteta's students only had one shot on target and did not cause any difficulty for the opposing goalkeeper.

Newcastle and Arsenal played on equal terms. (Photo: Getty Images)

Newcastle played tight at the back to keep their opponents at bay. The home side were always ready for high-speed counter-attacks. They had a few notable plays but Arsenal's defence was not bad in this match.

The game did not change much in the second half. Arsenal still emphasized ball control and played slowly while Newcastle played aggressively and attacked with quick passes.

The turning point of the match came in the 64th minute when Anthony Gordon scored the opening goal for Newcastle from close range. This situation caused a lot of controversy, even with the intervention of VAR.

Referee Stuart Attwell and his controversial assistants. (Photo: Getty Images)

Arsenal believe the ball was out of play before the Newcastle player delivered the cross. Slow-motion replays also show the visiting defender being pushed to the ground in a challenge in front of goal.

However, VAR determined the ball was in play (although only one camera angle was considered) and there was no foul. The referee did not directly watch the footage and decided to listen to VAR's advice, awarding the goal to Newcastle.

Arsenal went all out in the second half. However, against a very solid defense, the visitors did not have many effective options. Arsenal did not create any chances to equalize and lost their first match in the Premier League this season.

Result: Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal

Score

Newcastle: Gordon (64')

Han Phong

Source: https://vtc.vn/var-gay-tranh-cai-arsenal-thua-dau-newcastle-ar831682.html