Alan Shearer slams controversial Newcastle v Leeds United moment

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has questioned referee Michael Salisbury for a controversial decision he gave during Leeds United’s dramatic defeat in a seven-goal thriller at St James Park.

After taking a narrow lead into half-time as Brenden Aaronson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored either side of an equaliser from Magpies winger Harvey Barnes, the Whites were pegged back when Joelinton’s neat header found its way beyond Lucas Perri and inside his far post. However, Daniel Farke’s side responded well and took the lead for a third time with a clever finish from Aaronson as the United States international rounded off an incisive counter-attack with 11 minutes remaining.

There was a late double blow for Leeds as a Bruno Guimaraes penalty and a last-gasp Barnes winner handed the points to Eddie Howe’s side, with the latter’s goal arriving in the 102nd minute of a breathtaking contest. It was the former of those goals that provoked much discussion in the aftermath of the game after Aaronson was harshly ruled to have handled a cross from the right-hand side in a decision that was clarified after a lengthy VAR review. Despite his delight over the eventual result that fell in favour of his club, Shearer stressed he could not agree with the decision and explained there was nothing Aaronson could do in the situation.

Speaking on the midweek episode of The Rest is Football podcast, Magpies legend Shearer said, “As you know, I’ll always give you an honest opinion, and I was the same. What is he meant to do with his arms when he’s going to challenge. It’s just not handball, it can’t be handball, I just don’t agree with it, so I’m with you on that one, Micah, but obviously I’ll take it.”

One of those great games

Shearer did provide a glowing assessment of Leeds’ performance at St James Park as they came out on the wrong end of a true Premier League classic. Aaronson’s brace and Calvert-Lewin’s penalty looked to have put Farke’s men on their way to an outstanding win in the North East before Guimaraes and Barnes found the net during 12 minutes of injury-time to help the Magpies snatch all three points from the most dramatic of games. Former England captain Shearer admitted he was ‘really impressed with Leeds’ and believes both sides left themselves wide open during a memorable game.

He said: “It was a great game. I said in the WhatsApp chat, didn't I? I was really impressed with Leeds. I mean, they were so well organised. And it was maybe it was their naivety or their bravery or whatever it was, but they kept on going and going. And they pressed Newcastle, went man for man. It was just a great game to watch. I was like, oh my God, what are Newcastle doing?

“It was just one of those great games of football and I guess luckily for Newcastle, they were on the right end of it. It was an amazing atmosphere but it was just brilliant to be there and sample two teams just going for each other and leave themselves wide open. I forget how many times the crossbar. So it could have been a lot more. It was just a pleasure to be there. It was great, it was a great atmosphere.”

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