Richard Keys has strongly criticized Anthony Gordon for what he perceives as diving to earn two decisive penalties against West Ham United.
The first penalty was awarded to Newcastle United after just four minutes, with Vladimir Coufal adjudged to have fouled Gordon. A lengthy VAR review deliberated over whether Konstantinos Mavropanos had intentionally played the ball to Gordon, who was initially in an offside position.
The second penalty, which played a pivotal role in Newcastle’s comeback, sparked controversy. Hammers manager David Moyes argued that the decision to penalize Kalvin Phillips was incorrect, as the loanee appeared to be attempting to clear the ball when he brought down Gordon, who later received a red card.
Despite Moyes’s protests, referee Rob Jones consulted the pitchside monitor and awarded the penalty once again. Alexander Isak successfully converted both spot-kicks, contributing to Newcastle’s remarkable 4-3 victory.
However, former Sky Sports presenter Keys expressed his frustration, accusing Gordon of deceiving the officials. He contended that Dan Burn should have been sent off for fouling Mohammed Kudus in first-half stoppage time, highlighting what he perceived as a clear denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.
In a scathing critique on his blog, Keys condemned the decisions made by the officials during the match, labeling them as “howlers.”
He asserted that Gordon’s actions amounted to simulation and questioned the justification for the second penalty. Keys also questioned why Burn was not shown a red card for his challenge on Kudus, emphasizing the severity of the foul and the absence of an attempt to play the ball.
“What a weekend it was for ref howlers,” he wrote on his blog. “Mind you, when isn’t it? In no particular order – Antony Gordon conned Rob Jones twice. Well, once.
“The hapless David Coote, in VAR, was to blame for the second error. What did you see that was ‘clear and obvious’ David? I saw simulation.
“So did everyone who wasn’t supporting Newcastle. Why didn’t Jones send Dan Burn off for taking Kudus out when he was clean through? It was a denial. Burn made no attempt to play the ball. It was a clear red.”
Keys’s remarks underscore the contentious nature of the match and the scrutiny faced by officials in high-stakes encounters. The incident reignited debate over the use of VAR and the challenges of accurately adjudicating contentious decisions in football.