It's a big VAR-cicle mess as Magpies denied

REFEREE

- Lee Ryder

Andy Madley left the field to a chorus of boos after playing the pantomime villain at St James' Park.It was undoubtedly Madley's failure to point to the spot to award a penalty in the 54th minute that allowed the game to get away from Newcastle United.

After Anthony Gordon was poleaxed by defender Trevoh Chalobah into the advertising boards, even Eddie Howe exploded at the officials.

The VAR centre later reported: "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."

As United threw away the chance of a pre-Christmas win, they sent on reserve team goalkeeper John Ruddy at the end of the game to make an official protest. But Madley walked off the field smiling as the boos rang out.

TV images showed he and the VAR centre may just have made the wrong decision.