Why were Brighton and Liverpool penalties awarded and Newcastle’s goal disallowed

This week’s Premier League action was full of drama, with controversial refereeing decisions playing a major role in several games.

Many fans were left with sad faces and confusion as they saw the goals stand despite protests and there were a number of controversial penalties.

By the end of Sunday, thousands of viewers were left behind by some of the Premier League’s rules, so we’ve provided a breakdown of the top four events from the weekend.

Why Newcastle vs Tottenham’s first goal was disallowed

Newcastle’s opening goal in their 2-1 win against Tottenham sparked controversy when replays appeared to show Joelinton handling the ball in the process.

As midfielder Lucas Bergvall looked to pass the ball to the Brazilian, the ball reached a hand before falling to Bruno Guimaraes, who played in Anthony Gordon for their equaliser.

The goal was allowed to stand after a VAR review.

#TONNEW – 7′

The referee’s goal call was confirmed by VAR, who looked at Joelinton’s handball in preparation and found that his arm was at his side, naturally and the contact was accidental.

– Premier League Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) January 4, 2025

The idea is in the Premier League’s handball rules, which differentiate between accidental and deliberate handball.

For handball to not allow a goal in the build-up, the player must score directly or set up a goal immediately.

In this case, Joelinton’s handball was seen as accidental and was already in sequence, meaning that it did not meet the target.

Spurs fans were outraged, saying the incident compromised the fairness of the game because without his hand to stop the ball, he would have gone past the Newcastle press and attacked.

Why was Gordon not punished?

Later in the match, Newcastle were denied a penalty when Anthony Gordon went down in the box after challenging Dejan Kulusevski.

Replays showed Kulusevski lunging at Gordon with his shoulder, which connected with the winger’s face, leaving him in a bloody mess.

Referee Andy Madley waved play on, and VAR did not intervene, leaving Newcastle fans furious. #

The authorities concluded that Kulusevski’s contact was accidental and not reckless or excessive, which is required for a negative charge to be issued under such circumstances.

The decision highlighted the impact of such calls, as many argued that Gordon’s rise was marred by the crisis.

Why Liverpool were awarded a penalty against Manchester United

#LIVMUN – 67′ WENT UP

VAR recommended an on-field review of a possible handball by de Ligt, deeming his arm raised in an unnatural position. Upon review, the referee overruled his original no-penalty call.

– Premier League Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) January 5, 2025

Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United included a difficult penalty awarded for handball by Matthijs de Ligt.

As Mohamed Salah attempted to cross, the ball hit De Ligt’s outstretched arm, and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot after a quick VAR check.

The decision was based on the revised rules of handball, which also includes the rules for non-environmental areas.

De Ligt’s hand seemed unnatural, making his body unnaturally large and blocking the path of the ball.

Critics said that De Ligt had little time to react, but under the rules of the game, the goal is no longer important in handball decisions.

Salah converted the penalty, much to the frustration of the United fans, especially since he played so well.

Why Brighton were awarded a penalty against Arsenal

#BHAARS – 58′

The referee’s call for a foul by Saliba on João Pedro was upheld and upheld by VAR, who deemed there was enough contact to warrant a penalty.

– Premier League Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) January 4, 2025

Brighton’s clash with Arsenal produced another difficult penalty when William Saliba was adjudged to have tackled Joao Pedro in the box.

The incident happened during a loose ball fight, with Saliba’s forehead making contact with Pedro’s head.

Referee Anthony Taylor awarded the penalty and after review, it was upheld by VAR.

The main thing was the movement of Saliba towards Pedro, which is interpreted as dangerous and careless, although the contact seems to be minimal.

Opponents of the decision said that Pedro’s actions were exaggerated, but according to the current rules, it is considered foul, especially since Saliba did not win the ball.