Fans stunned as premier league release what Referee Paul Tierney said after got STUCK in the middle of Chelsea’s new pre-match circle

Newcastle United Denied Penalty as Reece James Escapes Scrutiny vs Chelsea

Newcastle United were left frustrated after being denied a penalty against Chelsea on Saturday, despite Reece James wrestling Malick Thiaw to the ground inside Robert Sanchez’s box.

Chris Sutton, commenting for Sky Sports, argued that James “got away with one” after referee Paul Tierney and VAR chose not to award the spot-kick. The incident occurred midway through the first half when Lewis Hall delivered a corner into the box, and James used his arms to impede Thiaw, causing the Newcastle centre-back to lose his footing and tumble.

Although Tierney allowed play to continue initially, VAR paused the game shortly afterward when the ball went out for a throw-in. Replays showed James physically restraining Thiaw, giving him an advantage, prompting Sutton to remark:

“It’s Reece James on Thiaw, and he’s not even looking at the ball. Thiaw gets the run on him, he’s taking one hell of a risk there. How much contact is there? But the fact he’s not looking at the ball I think is a problem for him. Chelsea maybe just get away with one there.”

Squad Challenges for Newcastle

The Magpies were missing key players for their trip to Stamford Bridge, with midfield star Sandro Tonali sidelined due to illness. Nick Woltemade, Anthony Gordon, and Jacob Ramsey, who had recently been unwell, were all available for selection.

A club statement confirmed Tonali’s absence: “Sandro Tonali misses out this afternoon due to illness. Speedy recovery, Sandro!”

Earlier, Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, had discussed his client’s future at Newcastle, revealing the midfielder’s ambitions:

“The deal came about because a club like Newcastle with unlimited financial resources had decided to invest in Sandro. We considered the idea of having the player play in a higher-level league. Exactly, that was the goal from the moment he went to England – to try to make him a star player. I think he’s the Italian footballer with one of the highest values in the world.”

Controversial Moments in the Match

During Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea, a separate penalty appeal was also denied when Trevoh Chalobah challenged Anthony Gordon inside the area. VAR confirmed the referee’s decision, noting that the contact was “side-to-side in a shielding action and the ball within playing distance.”

However, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe disagreed, calling it a “stonewall penalty,” with other pundits also questioning the ruling:

Eddie Howe: “I think it’s a clear penalty. I think anywhere else on the pitch, that’s a free kick.”
Ally McCoist: “I think it’s a penalty, I really do. I think he’s trying to usher him out but he takes him out.”
Joe Cole: “Too much aggression, I think we’ll be hearing from Eddie Howe after the game.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Reece James escaped a potential red card for his challenge on Gordon and later scored a crucial equalizer, followed by Joao Pedro’s goal to level the match at 2-2, leaving the game defined by controversy.