Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has revealed what referee Michael Salisbury did before the controversial VAR decision against Crystal Palace. Referees’ body PGMOL acknowledged that the decision was a mistake and that the incident would be under review. Wilson, who was absent against Palace due to a hamstring injury, has now revealed that Salisbury was the referee who met with the Newcastle players in pre-season to explain the use of VAR for the 2022/23 campaign.
Callum Wilson said: “It was the same referee who gave us our prep talk in pre-season and said that they’re going to be more lenient and things like that. I just feel over the weekend, to get two points taken away from us from that decision and ultimately that could have led to us losing as well. We could have ended up losing that game because at 1-0 up it’s a totally different game. In our game, Joe Willock had jumped in the air to head the ball, he’s about to put the ball into the net, Mitchell has pushed him in the back so he’s going to collide [with the goalkeeper] because he’s already in the air and has no control over what he’s doing. [Willock] could have done anything in that situation. Other than the referee giving a penalty, Willock was about to put the ball in the net then it hits the defender and then goes in. It should just be given as a goal because it’s the defender’s fault anyway. I can’t understand why [it was disallowed], if you’re thinking it’s a foul, you reel it back two or three seconds and see he’s been pushed in the air and you see it’s a penalty. Mitchell didn’t even complain, he just looked at the ground walking as if to say ‘I’ve just scored an own goal’. I don’t understand it.”
