Alan Shearer did not need a long explanation to make his feelings clear after Newcastle United’s dramatic Premier League clash with Chelsea. One word was enough.
As controversy raged around a key refereeing decision, the Newcastle legend summed it all up with a blunt verdict that echoed the frustration felt across St James’ Park and far beyond.
Matches are often decided by moments. Missed chances, defensive lapses, moments of brilliance. Newcastle had their share of opportunities against Chelsea and will know they could have put the game to bed long before the final whistle.
That is part of football and something every team has to live with. What is harder to accept, however, is when a game appears to turn on a refereeing decision that seems impossible to understand, even after video replays and multiple officials have reviewed it.
This game had six officials involved in decision-making, including VAR, yet one of the most important calls of the match left players, fans, pundits, and former professionals stunned.
Anthony Gordon was brought down inside the Chelsea penalty area in what looked, to many, like a clear foul. Instead of a penalty, referee Andy Madley awarded Chelsea a goal kick. VAR reviewed the incident and backed the on-field decision, claiming the Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah was simply shielding the ball.
That explanation only deepened the confusion. Chalobah was not clearly in control of the ball, nor was he positioned in a way that suggested a clean shielding action.
Gordon appeared to be impeded as he tried to reach the ball, and the contact stopped him from doing so. For many watching, it was difficult to understand how that situation did not meet the criteria for a penalty.
Alan Shearer certainly had no doubts. Reacting on social media to the decision, the former Newcastle striker and Premier League all-time top scorer delivered a one-word response to his more than one million followers. “Clueless.”
That single word carried weight, not just because of who said it, but because it captured what so many supporters were feeling in that moment. For Shearer, the call was not marginal or debatable. In his view, it was simply wrong.
Eddie Howe tried to keep his emotions in check after the match, but it was clear he shared the same frustration. Speaking honestly, the Newcastle head coach singled out the Gordon incident as the key moment that left him baffled.
He explained that anywhere else on the pitch, the challenge would have resulted in a free kick without hesitation. From his perspective, the defender focused only on Gordon and not the ball, making it a clear foul.
Howe admitted that when VAR became involved, he fully expected the decision to be overturned. He described it as a clear error and said he could not agree with the explanation that the challenge was simply shielding.
The disappointment in his voice was obvious, not just because of the decision itself, but because VAR exists precisely to correct mistakes like this. In Howe’s eyes, this was the moment where the system failed to do its job.
He stressed that this was not about a series of small complaints, but about one major decision that could have changed the outcome of the match. Watching it live, Howe felt it was clear. Watching it again, he felt the same. For him, it was the type of incident that VAR should intervene in without hesitation.
Shearer was not alone in his criticism. Former England international Joe Cole, working pitchside as a pundit for TNT Sports, also questioned the referee’s judgment. Cole believed Chalobah was overzealous in his attempt to win the ball.
In his analysis, the defender did not need to commit in that way because he was already in a strong position. The force of the challenge, rather than the angle, was the key issue for Cole.
He explained that while some might argue the contact came from the side, the intensity of the challenge made it a foul. For him, that level of force inside the penalty area should result in a spot kick.
Cole’s reaction mirrored what many neutral viewers felt, adding further pressure to the debate around consistency and interpretation in refereeing.
The wider issue once again revolves around VAR and its role in the modern game. Fans are repeatedly told that the technology is there to reduce errors and improve fairness.
Yet moments like this raise uncomfortable questions. If incidents like Gordon’s are not corrected, supporters are left wondering what standard is being applied and why similar challenges produce different outcomes from week to week.
For Newcastle, the frustration cuts deep. They matched Chelsea, created chances, and showed enough quality to win the game.
To leave the pitch feeling that a crucial decision went against them only adds to the sense of injustice. For Chelsea, it was a moment of fortune that helped them avoid a potentially decisive setback.
Alan Shearer’s reaction may have been brief, but it was powerful. One word captured the anger, disbelief, and exhaustion felt by fans who continue to struggle with the lack of clarity around VAR decisions.
Until consistency improves and explanations begin to match what supporters can clearly see on their screens, moments like this will continue to overshadow performances on the pitch and dominate conversations long after the final whistle.
