Eddie Howe left bewildered by lack of VAR over Newcastle's penalty appeal at Chelsea

Eddie Howe says he did not receive an explanation from the officials on Sunday afternoon after his side were denied a penalty at Stamford Bridge. Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy was tugged by his shirt and went down in the box.

But neither referee David Coote nor VAR man John Brooks deemed the foul worthy of a penalty. When asked if he’d had any explanation Howe simply said: “No.”

And on the costly decision overall, Howe reflected: “I can't look past the penalty, for me. Yeah, hugely disappointed with that decision and how they have reached that decision. Basically it's a penalty, Jacob's had his shirt ripped off his back near enough, goes down in the box, a clear penalty.

“Even if the referee doesn't give it on the pitch, I can kind of understand that, but then VAR doesn't give it and they should at least make the referee review his own decision because, if he does, he realises he's got it wrong."

Howe was also asked again about the possibility of a red card for Kai Havertz - who elbowed Dan Burn in the head. He said: "I think it could have been a red. “I'm not going to sit here and say it should have been a red, but I think it's one of those decisions, I think Dan thinks it's a clear red, he's on the pitch. I've seen it again, it could have been given.”