Dermot Gallagher says whether Newcastle United actually should have been awarded their penalty vs Southampton

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Newcastle United were awarded a penalty in their win against Southampton on Saturday.

It was one of three goals the Magpies scored on the day. Alexander Isak scored from the spot before adding a second four minutes later.

Sandro Tonali added Newcastle’s third in the second half to ensure that they left St Mary’s with all three points and immediately bounced back from the defeat to Bournemouth a week prior.

The penalty call did not come with a shortage of disagreement, however. Former Bournemouth striker Efan Ekoku said Newcastle were ‘gifted’ the spot-kick.

Frustrated Southampton boss Ivan Juric believed Isak fouled Joe Aribo during the incident.

Newcastle’s 3-1 win against Southampton meant that Eddie Howe’s side now sit fifth in the Premier League table, level on points with Manchester City.

While Newcastle were awarded the penalty on the day, former top-flight referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on the decision.

Dermot Gallagher on Newcastle penalty decision

With Newcastle fighting for a place in the Champions League, they need every decision they can get.

Although the penalty was not given by referee Sam Barrott on the pitch, VAR sent him to the monitor where he awarded the Magpies a spot-kick.

Speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch, Gallagher assessed the penalty decision. Like many others, he agreed that Newcastle were rightly awarded the spot-kick.

“It was a brilliant intervention (by VAR),” he said.

“The referee is blocked off. There are too many players in the way. When you see it again, it’s a foul.

“There’s an angle they show the referee and he sees it once and gives the penalty.”

The decision itself took several minutes to be made, initial replays showed that Aribo tripped Isak up inside the area when he looked poised for a shot on goal.

Another VAR decision benefitted Newcastle on Saturday

It was not just the penalty decision that Newcastle have benefitted from. A decision in another game has meant that they will have even more of an advantage in the coming weeks.

In Arsenal’s game against Wolves, Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card by Michael Oliver. It has been seen as a controversial decision, but not one that caused VAR to overturn it.

Lewis-Skelly’s suspension means that he will miss Arsenal’s visit to St James’ Park for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on February 5. Newcastle go into the game with a two-goal advantage – his suspension means that Mikel Arteta’s side have an even bigger hill to climb.

Arsenal will also be without star man Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus through injury.