Eddie Howe hit out at Peter Bankes for not checking with a pitchside monitor after the referee gave a controversial penalty against his Newcastle United side.
Bankes awarded the spot kick with the game level at 0-0 in the 38th minute, when James Maddison fell under a challenge from Jamaal Lascelles. VAR quickly checked the incident, according to Brendan Rodgers, the Leicester City manager, but the referee did not seek further reassurance that he had made the right decision by watching it again.
Howe accused Maddison of initiating the contact himself and insisted that the decision had a significant impact on the eventual 4-0 scoreline. Such a heavy defeat has worsened Newcastle’s plight, and they face Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday and Manchester City at St James’ Park on Sunday in their next two games.
“I haven’t had the conversation with the referee but I’m surprised he hasn’t gone to VAR to have a look,” Howe said. “I think in those moments, when it was obviously a contentious decision, you could feel that [he should have looked at the monitor] at that moment. I would encourage the referees to go and see it for themselves.
“They seem to take direction from other people who may have a different idea of what has happened. I think the best one to judge the decision is the referee.
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“I don’t think it was a penalty. Maddison is going over before the contact is made. I’m disappointed the referee didn’t go over to have a look at it himself. At 0-0 the game is very much on for us to win, but the penalty has a big bearing on the game.
“We’re in a huge fight to stay in this division. We’ll need to use the pain and feeling from today to help us in our journey this season.”
Youri Tielemans scored the penalty and Leicester added three more goals in the second half, from Patson Daka, Maddison and another by Tielemans.
“James [Maddison] was outstanding today, but I was more pleased with the collective,” Rodgers said. “You think of the players we have missing and the tough schedule we have had.
“To keep the clean sheet [their first since the first day of the season] was very important today. That was for everyone.
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“For us to be sat in eighth place after all the challenges this season is a real testament to the players and their mentality and spirit.”
