Troy Deeney insists VAR hindered Newcastle despite Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty controversy

After the decision went his way, Gabriel had the final say in the match, finding the net deep into stoppage time to seal the win.

While he avoided giving away a spot-kick, Gabriel’s night was not without controversy. Deeney brought up the incident during his analysis of the game.

The former Watford striker started by arguing that Viktor Gyokeres’ overturned penalty was another example of a call going against Newcastle.

“The penalty for me is a penalty. I don’t care whether Pope’s got a little touch on that. His knee then stops him from getting on to which he probably would have rolled into an empty net. So for me, that was a penalty.”

Deeney then shifted focus to Gabriel’s handball shout and felt it should have gone against him.

“I also think Gabriel got away with one as well. That one with a hand in the air. I know it touched his leg, but that hand’s very, very high in the air with the new rules.”

Gabriel briefly held his breath as VAR reviewed a potential handball, but the game quickly continued without any consequence.

Gabriel’s handball against Newcastle: Premier League explains penalty decision

Once the referee, Jarred Gillett, decided against a penalty for Gabriel’s handball, the Premier League followed up with an explanation of the call.

The official Premier League Match Centre account on X clarified the controversy.

The statement read: “The referee’s call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the ball deemed to have deflected off Gabriel’s shin and onto his arm.”

To the relief of the Arsenal bench, Gabriel’s self-inflicted handball was not deemed a penalty offense.