Controversial Handball Decision Spurs Tottenham Manager’s Frustration as VAR Supports Newcastle Goal
Premier League Museum Admin 
ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou, the manager of Tottenham Hotspur, expressed his frustration over a controversial goal scored by Newcastle United in a recent Premier League match. Despite Joelinton handling the ball in the buildup, referee Andy Madley decided not to stop play for a pitch-side review. After VAR official Chris Kavanagh, at Stockley Park, analysed the incident, the decision stood, much to the dismay of Spurs on Saturday afternoon.
Ange Postecoglou said “It was the angriest I have ever been,” and repeated the same sentiment six times in an interview.
However, Howard Webb, head of the Premier League’s refereeing body PGMOL, disagreed with Postecoglou’s protests. He offered an insight into why Anthony Gordon’s equaliser for Newcastle against Tottenham was upheld.
Webb said “While Tottenham and their Australian manager may feel aggrieved, they were in the wrong and the right decision had been made.”
Andy Madley, the on-field referee, also provided his perspective on the incident. He explained why he did not stop the play for a pitch-side review despite Joelinton handling the ball.
Madley said “Kav (Kavanagh), for me, it hits his hand. But it wasn’t, it was accidental, it was smashed at him. I believe his hand was by his side. On-field decision is goal.”
Chris Kavanagh, the VAR official, confirmed Madley’s decision. He also explained the sequence of events that led to the goal.
Kavanagh said “Mads (Madley), confirming the on-field decision of goal. And then the goal is scored fairly quickly afterwards. But Joelinton doesn’t score the goal. The ball goes to Guimaraes, I believe, and then it goes to Gordon, who scores.”
Kavanagh further elaborated on why Joelinton’s handling of the ball was not penalised. He explained the specific circumstances under which a handball can be penalised.
Kavanagh said “Of course, we can only penalise handball in certain circumstances. Joelinton’s arm [is] in a really normal position as he’s moving and then when the ball does strike him from quite close range, it’s down by his side. The ball hits the arm and then ricochets off. He doesn’t move the arm in the direction of the ball. The arm is moving naturally. He doesn’t, importantly, make himself unnaturally bigger. His arm is close to his body so that’s not a handball offence. So we agree it’s not a handball offence.”
Kavanagh concluded by acknowledging that Tottenham might feel unlucky due to the way the ricochet played out and the goal was scored. However, he reiterated that the laws of the game do not penalise the position in which the incident occurred.
Kavanagh said “Tottenham might feel unlucky [because of] the way the ricochet played out and the goal was scored. But the laws of the game stipulate quite clearly that position isn’t something that you would penalise.”
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