Sky Sports' pundits Shay Given, Les Ferdinand and Francis Benali were in agreement that Newcastle should have been given a goal after Joelinton bundled the ball into the back of the net. However, referee Stuart Attwell adjudged the Brazilian midfielder to have handled the ball on the brink of half-time and awarded the Saints a free-kick.
VAR looked at the incident, with Callum Wilson's effort bouncing up onto the thigh of Joelinton, before he hammered home from close range. However, the video officials sided with the on-pitch decision, much to the dismay of former Newcastle goalkeeper, Given.
He told Sky Sports: "I’m not sure. I understand [the referee sees it from a certain angle], and the ref says he thinks it’s a handball, but then VAR - which we said before tonight we have VAR and we have it for a reason - and that angle proves it comes off his hip or his stomach. It’s a legitimate goal.
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"It’s hit his hip and it’s bounced up and he’s put it into the net. That’s a simple [decision], if VAR still sees that and thinks it’s a handball then I don’t know what he’s looking at.
"But look, it is a difficult job for the referee. The angle he’s at he maybe thinks it’s a handball, but there’s no reason why the VAR can’t get in his ear and go ‘It’ll only take 30, maybe 60 seconds, just have a look at this angle Stuart because you might have got this wrong.’ They should get that right between them - it’s not a handball, it should be a goal."
Former Newcastle striker, Ferdinand, was in agreement. He said: "I mean I’m in the striker’s union and I think it comes off his hip, or it rolls off his chest and he volleys it in. But, what I will say is from the referee’s angle, what he sees is a handball, but we’ve looked at it so many times and don’t see it hitting his hand.
"From the referee’s angle I suppose he sees it like that because he moves his arm out of the way. And they still feel there’s not enough evidence? If there’s not enough evidence [it can’t overrule the decision], so how many angles do VAR get to look at?"
Former Saints defender Benali also felt the Magpies should have been given the goal but could see why officials sided with the referee's decision. He added: "As Les said, the angle that Stuart Atwell has got from behind, we’re looking at it and dissecting it in real, slow time, in slow motion, and we’re still struggling to see whether it actually was or wasn’t [handball].
"So the angle that the referee is seeing it in real time, you’ve got to go with the on-field decision then haven’t you."
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