A goalless draw in the Premier League can often be a story of what might have been, a game defined by a few key moments rather than a flowing narrative.
For Newcastle United, their trip to the south coast to face Bournemouth was exactly that kind of match. While the final result of 0-0 will be recorded as a solid point away from home, the post-match discussion was dominated not by the football, but by the decisions of the match officials, which left pundits and fans alike scratching their heads in disbelief.
The two most significant talking points were clear-cut. At one end of the pitch, Newcastle’s record signing, Nick Woltemade, was clearly tugged back by Bournemouth defender Bafode Diakite inside the penalty area.
To the amazement of the Newcastle players and the traveling supporters, the referee waved away their passionate appeals for a penalty.
Shortly after, at the other end, Magpies defender Malick Thiaw, who was already on a yellow card, committed a heavy challenge that many observers felt was worthy of a second booking and a subsequent red card. He was fortunate to remain on the pitch.
However, it was a third, less discussed incident that truly captured the attention of television pundits after the game.
Deep into stoppage time, with the match seemingly drifting towards its inevitable stalemate, Bournemouth was awarded a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area.
The decision was given for a handball against Newcastle substitute Harvey Barnes. Replays showed that the ball had been blasted directly at Barnes from a distance of barely a yard, with his arms positioned naturally by his side.
It was the kind of incident that the game’s laws are designed to not punish, as the player had no time to react and had not made his body unnaturally bigger.
The free-kick was well saved by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, meaning the controversial decision did not ultimately affect the result.
But that didn’t stop the incident from becoming a major topic of conversation on the popular podcast The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
Lineker admitted that as the Bournemouth player lined up to take the kick, he was already anticipating a furious reaction from Shearer, who was due to join the show shortly after the final whistle. Lineker described the handball decision as “ludicrous,” a sentiment Shearer wholeheartedly agreed with.
The Newcastle legend joked that if the free-kick had gone in and cost his team the game, he would have been so angry that he would have refused to come on the podcast at all.
Beyond the refereeing controversies, the match also extended a curious personal record for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Despite it being a positive result on paper, it means he is still yet to secure a Premier League victory over his former club since taking charge at St James’ Park.
In seven attempts, his record now stands at five draws and two losses. His only win against the Cherries came in the Carabao Cup back in 2022.
For this match, he made the bold decision to make seven changes to the team that lost to Barcelona, leaving influential captain Bruno Guimaraes on the bench in an effort to manage his squad’s fitness.
While the point is a useful one, it came at the cost of prolonging a minor personal hoodoo for the manager. In the end, the game will be remembered for the decisions that were made, rather than the football that was played.
