Eddie Howe: Newcastle seeking PGMOL clarification on Chelsea penalty incident

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe says the club have written to seek clarification from the PGMOL after the Magpies were denied a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last weekend.

The home side found themselves 2-0 through a Nick Woltemade brace, but were pegged back by the Blues, eventually walking away with just one Premier League point.

However, there was contoversy late on when Newcastle appealed for a penalty.

With both Anthony Gordon and Trevoh Chalobah both racing to the ball inside the Chelsea box, the defender appeared to barge into the England international in an effort to shield the ball out of play.

However, Chalobah was not near the ball, prompting a furious response from the Newcastle players and fans.

Speaking in his latest press conference, Howe spoke out on the incident: “Yes, we will be seeking clarification [from PGMOL] and those calls have already gone in, not from me personally but from the club. We just want to know the thought process behind the decisions.

“I wouldn’t want to train them to deliver that kind of challenges in the box because you are going to give the referees a decision to make. I think one of the arts of defending is not to put yourself in that position. I thought, and I still do, it was a clear penalty having reviewed it, and I have not changed my mind.”

Confidence returning on Tyneside

Howe went on to claim that his side are slowly beginning to rebuild their confidence, despite their inconsistencies on the pitch.

He added: “I’d say we have been inconsistent at times our away form early in the season, although we were very good defensively, certainly in terms of our attacking output, we were way below the level we can. I’d say that has steadily improved.

“So the challenge is to hit those levels [performance against Everton away] that we know we are capable of home and away. I believe we can do it. I believe the confidence is returning internally, and now we have to show we can do it.”

Howe quiet on transfer plans

Unsurprisingly, the Newcastle boss was quizzed on his plans for the upcoming transfer window.

Reports have claimed that the club will have to sell in order to buy in January, but the Englishman was instead focused on things in his control.

He said: “It’s not high on my agenda, with the squad we currently have, to be losing players. I think we will see as players return from injury, there is no certain thing until they are actually back and performing.

“But if there is anyone in the squad that we feel would between us and them benefit from going then we will certainly look at it from an individual basis.”

Newcastle head to Old Trafford for a Boxing Day clash with Manchester United.