Newcastle and Chelsea Draw 2-2 After Controversial VAR Decision at St James' Park
On 20 December 2025, Newcastle United and Chelsea played to a 2-2 draw at St James' Park. Newcastle took an early lead with two goals from Nick Woltemade, but Chelsea fought back with goals from Reece James and Joao Pedro to secure an equalizer.
A key moment in the match occurred in the 54th minute when Trevor Chalobah's challenge on Anthony Gordon was reviewed by VAR for a potential penalty. The on-field decision by referee Andy Madley was to not award a penalty, and this decision was upheld after the VAR review.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe criticised the referee's decision, describing the non-penalty call as a clear error that should have been overturned. Howe argued that Gordon was fouled aggressively while shielding the ball. Despite this, he acknowledged that Newcastle have now dropped 13 points from winning positions this season and expressed that the result reflected a strong performance and progress by his team.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca commented that the first half was dominated by Newcastle, while the second half favored Chelsea, and overall the draw was a deserved result. Maresca indicated that his team is moving in the right direction following the match.
