Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Surely this was the most controversial refereeing decision of the Newcastle United clash?

Originally posted on the Boy Hotspur | By The Boy | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 9:03 AM ET

Well, that was another fine mess of a result, courtesy of the Daniel Levy legacy society. Still, the worst incident in the park had to be that of Joelinton, who has a reputation for tough tackling – unsurprisingly, the Newcastle United man has already been booked five times this season.

The Carabao Cup fourth-round match between The Toon and Tottenham featured a controversial moment in the 86th minute involving Newcastle midfielder Joelinton and Spurs winger Mohammed Kudus.

With Tottenham pushing for a late goal, Kudus received the ball on the right flank near the Newcastle box. Joelinton lunged in from behind with a high, studs-up challenge, catching Kudus on the ankle and sending him tumbling. The tackle appeared reckless and dangerous, with little attempt to play the ball, and many observers described it as reckless in the extreme.

In the immediate aftermath, Joelinton stood over Kudus, preventing him from quickly getting up to take a free kick. Kudus, frustrated, shoved Joelinton to create space, leading to a heated exchange. Both players pushed and grabbed each other, drawing in teammates from both sides, including Pedro Porro. Porro, acting as Spurs captain, has himself a small history with Joelinton’s aggressive style.

Chris Kavanagh’s wisdom of Solomon moment was to intervene, booking both players with yellow cards, which meant Joeliston got one for the foul and Kudus for the reaction. Personally, I felt Kavanagh’s processing time for most incidents last night smacked of hesitancy.

Fan reaction was predictable fare, as five minutes earlier, Kudus had committed a hard foul on Joelinton himself, but escaped a second yellow. Post-match, some Newcastle fans argued Kudus was “lucky” overall, while Tottenham supporters fumed over the leniency.

The challenge was a nasty scissor style high contact, with zero ball involvement, and momentum carried Joelinton through Kudus’ body. Unfortunately, within the letter of the law, the ref was right, but it felt wrong, and given Kudus didn’t have the wit to feign an injury, the call wasn’t all that wrong.

This article first appeared on the Boy Hotspur and was syndicated with permission.

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