Tottenham hit with a “harsh” VAR ruling as the explanation for Newcastle’s penalty is revealed.
Newcastle appealed for a penalty in the 82nd minute when Dan Burn went down in the box after a coming-together with Rodrigo Bentancur. Referee Thomas Bramall initially dismissed the claims but was advised by VAR to review the footage on the pitch-side monitor. After a brief check, he reversed his decision and awarded Newcastle a penalty, ruling that Bentancur had held Burn and failed to make a genuine attempt to play the ball.
Announcing the decision to the crowd, Bramall explained: “After review, Tottenham number 30 commits a holding offence at the back post and clearly doesn’t look at the ball. My final decision is a penalty.”
Jamie Carragher, reacting as Bramall went to the monitor, told Sky Sports he was shocked, saying the call felt harsh and that Bentancur was simply trying to move away from Burn.
The Premier League later confirmed the overturn: “#NEWTOT – 82′ VAR OVERTURN. After VAR review, the referee overturned the original no-penalty decision to award Newcastle United a penalty.”
Post-match, Micah Richards questioned the call, arguing that although Bentancur did briefly hold Burn, the contact was minimal and Burn overpowered him physically. He felt the referee’s original decision was correct and that VAR introduced unnecessary doubt. Jamie Redknapp echoed concerns over consistency, noting that Burn himself didn’t even protest strongly.
Spurs manager Thomas Frank was adamant the decision was wrong, insisting it was “never a penalty” and not anywhere close to a “clear and obvious error,” adding that similar incidents happen repeatedly in every match.
Anthony Gordon converted the penalty to put Newcastle 2-1 ahead after Cristian Romero had earlier cancelled out Bruno Guimarães’ opener. But Tottenham equalised again, with Romero scoring a second — an impressive acrobatic finish — to secure a 2-2 draw.
The result leaves Spurs 11th on 19 points from 14 league games, though Frank’s side remain only five points behind third-placed Chelsea.
