Jamie Redknapp and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were baffled by Andrew Madley’s decision not to award Wolverhampton Wanderers a penalty. At 0-0, Raul Jimenez was brought down inside the area by Nick Pope.
The Newcastle United goalkeeper had fumbled a Sven Botman backpass and Jimenez tried to capitalise on the loose ball. Pope frantically lunged in to clear his lines but failed to make contact with the ball - and the Wolves man went down.
The away dugout were incensed as the referee waved away the protests. A brief VAR check agreed with Madley’s decision and, minutes later, Newcastle went ahead through Alexander Isak.
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Former Liverpool midfielder Redknapp cannot understand why the official was not summoned to the pitchside monitor. He told Sky Sports: “You see Andy Madley there, he’s in a good position but he’s guessing, he’s guessing, so that’s when you need the help of the VAR. For these big, big contentious moments just go and look at the monitor if you’re not quite sure.
You can see by the players’ reaction, they’re just tossing a coin in that situation. In certain situations I think you have to - that is one where you genuinely have to go and look at it because you’re so far away you cannot see it. If it’s up close it’s different but that one there has to be re-refereed and you have to look at the monitor.”
Ex-Chelsea star Hasselbaink labelled Pope as “extremely lucky” following the incident. Had the referee sent him off, he would have received a four-game suspension.
“For me, Nick Pope is extremely lucky here,” he added. “Jimenez wins the ball and, for me, it’s a penalty. I can’t believe why the referee hasn’t given it, I can’t believe that VAR doesn’t let the referee go and watch it again. How clear does it have to be that this is a penalty?”
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