In a Premier League thriller at St James’ Park on December 20, 2025, Newcastle United and Chelsea played out a dramatic 2–2 draw, but it was VAR controversy that dominated the headlines and social media conversations in the hours after the final whistle. The Sun+1
A Game of Two Halves
Newcastle stormed out of the blocks and took a commanding 2–0 lead inside the first 20 minutes, with Nick Woltemade scoring twice to electrify the home crowd. Chelsea looked out of sorts through much of the first half before finding their footing after the break. The Guardian
Chelsea’s comeback began early in the second half when Reece James struck a stunning long-range free-kick to make it 2–1. Shortly afterward, João Pedro finished calmly to level the score at 2–2. The Sun
VAR Decision Sparks Outrage
Despite the exciting match, fans on both sides — particularly Newcastle supporters — were left incensed by multiple officiating decisions involving VAR:
❌ Denied Penalty for Newcastle
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Newcastle players and fans were convinced they should have been awarded a penalty when Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah appeared to bring down Anthony Gordon in the box.
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Referee and VAR checks eventually ruled there was no foul, sparking furious reactions online, with some supporters labeling the decision a “stonewall penalty” and VAR itself a “joke.” The Sun
⚠️ Technical Issues in Offside Review
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Another moment that drew criticism was when the Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) failed, forcing VAR officials to manually judge whether Newcastle’s early goal should stand.
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While the goal was ultimately given, the unusual manual review added to fans’ frustrations over the consistency and reliability of VAR reviews. Daily Sports
Fan Reaction: Heated and Unfiltered
Reactions from Newcastle supporters on Reddit and other social platforms illustrate just how controversial the referee and VAR performance was perceived:
“Absolutely shocking officiating… get f***ed.” — one fan summed up the mood of many.
Comments ranged from claims of “blatant missed calls” to demands for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe to speak out about the officiating. Reddit
Many supporters acknowledged that Newcastle’s own performance dropped off in the second half — with some pointing to tactical issues — but still felt that official decisions unfairly influenced the result. Reddit
What This Means Going Forward
For Chelsea, the draw rescued a point after a rocky first half and continued their fight for Premier League positions. For Newcastle, however, even though they dominated early, dropping two points from a 2–0 lead left fans feeling frustrated, especially with the belief that key VAR decisions didn’t go their way. The Guardian
One thing is clear: VAR remains one of the most contentious topics in English football, and today’s clash between Newcastle and Chelsea only added fuel to that ongoing debate.
