Newcastle United supporters were left furious after what many believe was a clear refereeing error during the 2–2 draw with Chelsea at St James’ Park, and those frustrations have now been strongly backed up by an experienced voice from within the game.
Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has made it clear that Andy Madley got a major decision wrong, one that could have completely changed the outcome of the match.
The controversy centres on a second-half incident involving Anthony Gordon and Trevoh Chalobah inside the Chelsea penalty area. With Newcastle leading 2–1 and pushing to take full control of the game, Gordon burst into the box and was clearly barged from behind.
The contact was obvious, the timing was late, and there was no genuine attempt to play the ball. Inside St James’ Park, the reaction was instant. Players appealed, fans roared, and the expectation was that a penalty would be given without hesitation.
Instead, Madley waved play on. VAR also failed to intervene, allowing Chelsea to escape punishment in a moment that Newcastle felt was a turning point.
Both Eddie Howe and former Chelsea winger Joe Cole later agreed that Newcastle should have been awarded a spot-kick, with the Magpies having a golden chance to go 3–1 up and potentially put the game beyond reach.
Hackett did not hold back when reviewing the decision. He described it as a “nailed-on” penalty and suggested that even referees at grassroots level would have made the correct call.
From his perspective, the foul ticked every box. There was clear contact, no attempt to win the ball cleanly, and Gordon was unfairly stopped in a dangerous position. For Hackett, this was not a grey area or a subjective call. It was a straightforward decision that was missed.
The frustration for Newcastle was made even worse by what followed. Not long after the penalty appeal was ignored, Chelsea took advantage of a defensive slip from Malick Thiaw.
Joao Pedro reacted quickest, slotting the ball under Aaron Ramsdale to make it 2–2. From Newcastle’s point of view, the swing in momentum was brutal.
Instead of having a chance to extend their lead from the penalty spot, they found themselves conceding an equaliser.
This incident was just one of several moments that left fans unhappy with Madley’s overall performance. Earlier in the game, there were complaints about physical challenges going unpunished, including a studs-up moment involving Alejandro Garnacho and a tangle between Reece James and Harvey Barnes on the edge of the box.
While opinions may differ on some of those calls, the Gordon penalty shout stood out as the clearest error of the night.
Hackett’s comments also shine a light on a wider issue within Premier League officiating. Across the same matchweek, several referees came under heavy criticism, including John Brooks for his handling of Tottenham versus Liverpool.
These repeated controversies are adding to the growing feeling among fans that refereeing standards are not where they should be, despite the presence of VAR.
For Newcastle, the dropped points hurt. In a tight league where margins are small, decisions like this can have a real impact on momentum, confidence, and league position.
Supporters left the stadium feeling they had not just drawn a game, but had something taken away from them.
While referees are human and mistakes will happen, Hackett’s verdict makes it clear that this was not a complicated call. In his eyes, it was a basic decision that was missed at the highest level of the game.
For Newcastle fans, that assessment only reinforces the feeling that justice was not served on the night.
