Mark Halsey, a former Premier League referee, believes VAR should have stayed out of the controversial incident involving Kalvin Phillips conceding a penalty in West Ham United’s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.
The Hammers initially fell behind due to an early penalty resulting from a “extremely clumsy” Vladimir Coufal foul. However, goals from Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus gave West Ham the lead at halftime. Jarrod Bowen extended the lead to 3-1 in the second half.
Unfortunately, Phillips was penalized for a foul on Anthony Gordon while clearing the ball, leading to VAR intervention and the referee overturning his decision after reviewing the screen. Halsey agreed with commentator Bianca Westwood’s criticism, stating that he did not believe it was a penalty and that VAR should not have interfered.
The controversial decision shifted the momentum, allowing Newcastle to come back and secure the victory. Despite a strong performance from West Ham before the penalty incident, the officials’ call ultimately cost them the game.
Halsey criticized the officials for their poor decision-making, emphasizing that VAR once again overshadowed the quality of football played on the pitch. Instead of celebrating a potential away win, the focus shifted to the controversial penalty call and its impact on the outcome of the match.
