Sky Sports’ Super Sunday panel were debating VAR once again on Sunday afternoon, this time after Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was denied a penalty in their 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle United.
Trailing to Joelinton's first half opener for the Magpies, Kane thought he had won Spurs the chance to draw level when he looked to have gone down under a challenge from Jamaal Lascelles.
Replays showed that the Newcastle skipper had put an arm across Kane’s chest, causing him to stumble. Referee Mike Dean waved play on before halting the game while Anthony Taylor, the video assistant referee, made a decision.
But much to Spurs’ frustration, VAR ruled out the home side being awarded a spot kick.
As VAR so often has in its early days as a new fixture in the Premier League, it caused plenty of debate post-match, including from those on the Sky Sports panel. Graeme Souness, a regular on Super Sunday, was of the opinion that VAR made the right call as he believed it was not a penalty.
Souness told Sky Sports: “I feel that he (Kane) initiated contact. I think VAR will help us in the long term. But for me I don’t see that as a penalty. Harry is losing balance at the same time.”
Souness was backed up by fellow pundit Joleon Lescott, who also believed that VAR got the call right.
He said: “I don’t think it was a penalty. I think the fact that Harry steps across his line means that he has initiated contact. I believe that is what gave it away to the referee.”
But former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, now part of the coaching staff at Middlesbrough, had a different opinion to his two fellow pundits.
Keane said: “He stopped Harry from getting the shot off. The defender fell over but he still stopped him from having a shot on goal. I’m unclear on the rules.”
