Former PGMOL Chief Gives Verdict on Controversial Liverpool Penalty Against Newcastle
The Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Liverpool ended in dramatic fashion, with the Reds securing a 2-2 draw thanks to a stoppage-time penalty.
Newcastle took an early lead through Anthony Elanga before Cody Gakpo equalised after the break. Joe Willock quickly restored the Magpies’ advantage, but Liverpool were handed a late opportunity to level the contest.
In the 99th minute, referee Stuart Attwell awarded Liverpool a penalty after Victor Munoz went down inside the box following a challenge from Lewis Hall. VAR reviewed the incident but found no clear and obvious error, so the decision remained.
Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle strongly disagreed with the call, describing it as a “really soft penalty” and questioning whether similar incidents would continue to be punished throughout the season.
However, former Premier League referee and ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett had a very different view. Asked on social media whether the penalty was correct, Hackett delivered a blunt two-word response:
“Nailed on.”
Hackett wasn’t alone in believing Liverpool deserved the spot-kick. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville also suggested the decision was unlikely to be overturned, pointing out that Hall made no contact with the ball.
Micah Richards similarly felt the decision was harsh but acknowledged there was enough contact to bring Munoz down, while Daniel Sturridge described the incident as “knee on knee” and agreed with the referee’s decision.
With opinions split among fans and pundits, the controversial penalty is likely to remain one of the biggest talking points from Newcastle’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
