Dermot Gallagher now shares whether Newcastle’s goal vs Arsenal should have stood

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Newcastle United’s huge victory over Arsenal has certainly sparked a lot of debate over the weekend.

Anthony Gordon netted the only goal in the game, but VAR had to check three separate scenarios before they eventually allowed the goal.

Speaking on Sky Sports, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher walked through each occasion and explained how VAR would have come to a decision.

There was potential that the ball had gone out of play, that Gordon was offside and that Joelinton had fouled Gabriel.

Mikel Arteta was outraged that the goal was given and in his interview after the game claimed that it was a ‘disgrace’ to the Premier League.

What VAR saw in Gordon’s goal vs Arsenal

Dermot Gallagher claimed that there was a “fair chance” that the whole of the ball had not crossed the line while the offside is “impossible” to tell because of Joelinton’s positioning.

The 66-year-old also added that the potential foul is a “subjective decision” and that VAR clearly did not see enough evidence to overrule Stuart Attwell.

Gallagher said: “It overhangs the line. The law says that the whole ball has to be over the line, there’s a fair chance that part of the ball is overhanging.

“Two defenders have to be between him and the goal or he can be behind the ball, that’s the key issue here.

“There’s no start point to draw the line for VAR, it’s impossible to see the ball because of Joelinton.

“It’s a subjective decision. For me I think it is [a foul], but I’ve spoken to many who think it is and many who think it’s not, that’s your dilemma. VAR thinks it’s not enough to overrule.”

With VAR, the rule is that they need to have seen a clear and obvious error made by the referee to overrule a decision.

Arteta and Arsenal in uproar

As Gallagher explained, with the first two scenarios it is practically impossible to tell what truly happened while the possible foul is quite clearly a subjective decision.

On another day Atwell may have given a free-kick and VAR could have deemed there to be inconclusive evidence to overrule the other way.

With this in mind, you’d struggle to understand how not only the manager can speak on the decisions being embarrassing, but also how the club can also openly criticise the standard of officiating.

Newcastle will no doubt be involved in more controversial decisions throughout the rest of the season, but you will never see Eddie Howe speak in an aggressive or disrespectful manner.