Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has slammed a late VAR decision that awarded Newcastle United a penalty in their 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.
The incident came in the 86th minute when referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot after consulting the pitchside monitor. VAR had spotted Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur holding Newcastle defender Dan Burn during a corner. Anthony Gordon converted the penalty to give Newcastle the lead.
Spurs, however, refused to accept the decision. Frank called it an “absolute mistake” and said the referee on the pitch made the correct call initially.
“It was never a penalty. VAR should only step in if it’s clear and obvious. The referee on the field got it right,” Frank said.
Despite the controversy, Spurs rescued a point in injury time thanks to Cristian Romero’s stunning overhead kick in the 95th minute.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe defended the decision, saying: “The defender isn’t looking at the ball, he’s looking at Dan Burn. I think it’s probably the right call.”
The result leaves both sides sharing points in a dramatic Premier League clash, with debate over the VAR decision set to continue among fans and pundits.
