Fans are voicing their discontent over an incident involving Bruno Guimaraes and Jorginho during the intense first half at St James’ Park, where the score remained level at halftime. Amidst numerous contentious issues during the first half, VAR once again found itself embroiled in Premier League controversy.
While VAR assessed Kai Havertz’s sliding challenge on Sean Longstaff and deemed it worthy of only a yellow card, questions arose regarding Guimaraes, who might have escaped a red card. Guimaraes, the Newcastle midfielder, was seen elbowing his opponent in the head, yet VAR opted not to intervene.
The decision not to take action drew sharp criticism from supporters, with some labeling it as “disgraceful.” On Twitter, one observer stated, “Guimaraes knew exactly what he was doing. Both he and Havertz should have been sent off.” Another social media user wrote, “VAR’s decision is absolutely disgusting.” A third commenter expressed, “This is unquestionably a red card; leading with the elbow in such a manner… The game has lost its way. The inconsistency in such a high-level sport is astonishingly terrible.”
A fourth tweet concurred, asserting, “It’s a clear red card, and the intention is evident.”
The debate among fans has been ignited by the controversy surrounding whether Guimaraes should have been allowed to remain on the pitch.
