Mark Clattenburg disagrees with ex-PGMOL chief on game-changing Newcastle v Forest decision

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Mark Clattenburg has given his thoughts on the potential foul in the build-up to Bruno Guimaraes’ goal in Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest.

Ange Postecoglou’s nightmare start to life at Nottingham Forest continues, this time defeated at St James’ Park.

Goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade secured all three points for Eddie Howe, but the first was scored controversially.

Nottingham Forest players protested that there was a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up. But was there anything in it? Mark Clattenburg gives his verdict.

Exclusive: Mark Clattenburg on Bruno Guimaraes’ goal in Newcastle vs Forest

Speaking exclusively to TBR Football, the former Premier League referee made it clear that the decision from the referee was a correct one.

Clattenburg said: “Nottingham Forest wanted a foul in the build-up to Newcastle’s opening goal. The on-field decision of the referee is to play on, so there needs to be a clear foul for the VAR to intervene.

“You can see that Bruno Guimaraes plays the ball, and then there is a natural coming together between himself and Morgan Gibbs White.

“I would have been surprised for the VAR to overturn it as the referee would have informed him what he had seen on the field.”

Even if the goal was disallowed, Woltemade’s penalty ensured that the Geordies stole all three points on Sunday afternoon. No dispute in that decision – it was a stonewall penalty.

Ex-PGMOL chief disagrees with Mark Clattenburg

Speaking to Football Insider, Keith Hackett, the former chief of PGMOL, said: “Referee Peter Bankes wrongly allowed play to continue after Newcastle United’s Guimaraes had won the ball and then fouled Morgan Gibbs White in his follow-through through pushing the Nottingham Forest player to the ground.

“VAR should have intervened after the goal had been scored on the basis that Guimaraes had committed a foul.

“If you look at the Newcastle United players’ arms, you can see them moving from a bent to a straight position, which satisfies me that a push has taken place.

“Sadly, the exaggerated fall by the Nottingham Forest player did not help his cause and may have influenced the referee, who was very close to the incident, to not take action.”

A disagreement between former officials, but the on-field one is the only one that matters – let’s be honest.