AFPExplained: Why Newcastle were denied 'stonewall' penalty against Chelsea after Anthony Gordon sent flying by Trevoh Chalobah
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
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Protect 14 devices with the top ExpressVPN plan
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.
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Getty Images SportWhy Newcastle were denied penalty
Chelsea, so ragged before the break, emerged transformed after half-time. Their revival was ignited by a moment of real quality from Reece James, who curled a sublime free-kick over the wall and into the corner. Suddenly, belief surged through the visitors. Newcastle, who had looked so comfortable, began to retreat and the contest opened up. What followed was a sequence of events that would leave the home crowd incandescent. Midway through the second half, Gordon chased a loose ball into the penalty area and was met by Chalobah. The Chelsea defender barged across him, sending Gordon tumbling towards the advertising hoardings. St James’ Park erupted, players surrounded the referee, and VAR was swiftly engaged.
Yet, to widespread disbelief, no penalty was awarded. The Premier League later explained on X: "The referee’s call of no penalty to Newcastle was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact from Chalobah on Gordon deemed to be side-to-side in a shielding action and the ball within playing distance."
Ally McCoist was unequivocal on commentary, branding it "a stonewall penalty," while Joe Cole described the challenge as "too much aggression". Even former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin admitted it was "risky with bells on it".
Meanwhile, retired Premier League official Darren Cann told BBC Sport: “At normal speed I can understand why the referee didn’t award a penalty. Chalobah certainly takes a risk in making such a challenge because there’s clear contact with Gordon. So the decision was right to be reviewed by VAR, who came to the conclusion that a clear and obvious error had not been made and stayed with the on-field decision of no penalty. I do think that had a penalty been given, I believe the VAR would have stuck with that decision too. So this comes down to 'referee’s call'".
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Getty Images SportBoxing Day spotlight looms amid fixture shake-up
Newcastle’s focus now turns quickly to a daunting Boxing Day trip to Old Trafford, where they face Manchester United in the Premier League’s only fixture on December 26 this season. The decision to stage a solitary match on a date traditionally overflowing with top-flight football has raised eyebrows. The Premier League’s scheduling was shaped by fixture congestion, broadcast obligations and the expanded European calendar, with December 26 falling on a Friday and leaving only one viable broadcast slot. All other Matchweek 18 games have been spread across the following weekend. For Newcastle, though, attention remains fixed on what might have been. A scintillating first half deserved more, but once again, controversy and missed opportunities combined to leave a bitter taste on Tyneside.
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