Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on a contentious penalty incident during the Nottingham Forest versus Newcastle United match, expressing his belief that Nottingham Forest had a case for a penalty. The incident occurred when Taiwo Awoniyi fell inside the Newcastle penalty area after contact with goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, but referee Anthony Taylor awarded Newcastle a goal kick. Despite VAR checking the incident, the decision stood.

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo voiced his frustration, stating that they should have been awarded a penalty, emphasizing that the VAR replay made it clear. He considered it a pivotal moment in the match.

Alan Shearer, a Newcastle legend, remarked on Match of the Day that Forest might feel “robbed” by the decision. Gallagher, while acknowledging the difficulty of the referee’s perspective, believed it was a penalty, especially noting Dubravka’s arm movement, which he felt contributed to the fall. He suggested that VAR should have intervened based on the replay evidence.