Ipswich Town star sends defiant message after Premier League VAR statement and Newcastle United loss
Joe Buck
3 – 4 minutes
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Ipswich Town defender Luke Woolfenden has issued a defiant message after his side’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed following defeat to Newcastle United.
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The visitors actually started the game stronger than their hosts, but fell behind on the stroke of half-time when Isak converted a penalty in-front of the Leazes. Having also been reduced to ten men before that penalty, it seemed like being a long afternoon for Ipswich – and those fears were realised in the second half as the Magpies dominated the ball and play to secure a comfortable win.
Ipswich Town defender reacts to Newcastle United defeat
A feisty first half ended in chaotic fashion with referee Michael Salisbury slap bang in the middle of the action. Ben Johnson was shown a red card by the referee after first being booked for simulation before then pulling down Isak just outside the box.
Kieran McKenna looked visibly frustrated with the decision to send his defender off, but Woolfenden admitted post-match that the referee likely had no choice to brandish a red having shown Johnson a booking just seven minutes prior: “I’m not sure the first one is a yellow,” Woolfenden told Premier League Productions. “But the second one definitely is so once he has got a yellow, the ref has to do that. The penalty is what it is.”
Because Johnson’s red card was as a result of two bookings, VAR could not intervene in keeping him on the field, however, the technology could and did intervene in the decision to award the Magpies a penalty a few moments later. In the immediate aftermath of that incident, the Premier League Match Centre on X explained the decision: ‘#NEWIPS – 45+1 VAR OVERTURN. VAR checked the referee’s call of no penalty to Newcastle United for a challenge by Enciso on Murphy – and deemed Enciso committed a pulling offence and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned the original decision and awarded a penalty to Newcastle.’
As Ipswich lick their wounds from a disappointing day on Tyneside, they know that Championship football awaits them next season. Having secured back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League before this campaign, the Tractor Boys will be confident that they can bounce back under McKenna when they kick-off their campaign in the second-tier in August.
For Woolfenden, he is determined to ensure that days at St James’ Park come on a more regular basis and that Ipswich, the next time they come to Tyneside, can be more ‘competitive’: “We went over to the away end at the end and it’s full, they’ve been brilliant,” the defender continued.
“We want to come back here and give a better account of ourselves in 14 months and go toe-to-toe with Newcastle.”
Your next Newcastle United read: Premier League issue official statement after Newcastle United v Ipswich Town VAR controversy
