Fulham boss blasts referee for ‘unspotted red card and penalty’ during Newcastle United defeat

Fulham boss Marco Silva blasted the match officials for failing to spot a “clear penalty and a red card” during his side’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United.

The visitors were awarded a spot-kick after Kieran Trippier tripped Bobby Decordova-Reid in the box - but the incident Silva is referring to happened moments earlier when Dan Burn tugged Andreas Pereira’s shirt.

Silva believes Burn should have been shown a red card, which he insists would have changed the game, regardless of Aleksandar Mitrovic’s comical penalty miss.

The Portuguese boss said: “I have to mention, of course, the moment of the penalty, not because we missed, that can happen. It was in different circumstances that Mitro missed the penalty but I have to mention the decision of the referee and the decision of the VAR.

“It is difficult for us to understand in 30 seconds two decisions in the box. Two clear decisions in the box at that moment. It is difficult to understand how the referee didn’t see one, at least one. I think it is normal to see in 30 seconds two moments inside the box. Okay it was a consequence of the game in my opinion.

“Many many fouls and the decisions were almost always against us. It can happen. I can have bad afternoons. The referee can perform not in the best way and clear this afternoon he did not perform at his best level.

“For more difficult for us to understand is how the VAR cannot see the first penalty. Because that moment, if you miss or not can happen, that moment the first penalty has to be a penalty and a red card for the player. Andreas is going to finish the moment and the player pulled Andreas and it is clear penalty and red card.”

St James’ Park was galvanised by Mitrovic’s miss and found a breakthrough in the 89th-minute through substitute Alexander Isak.

Silva added: “Even Newcastle can score after, that can happen as well, but it is a clear mistake from the VAR as well, first from the referee, then the VAR made a huge impact on the game.

“If Mitrovic touched it twice, the penalty is disallowed. I have much more problems. It is clear, not the best performance from the referee and I repeat it can happen. You can have a bad performance. It is more difficult for us to understand with the VAR, with a screen in front of him, how he cannot see that first penalty and the red card.

“I don’t need to see the replay, one image is enough, clear penalty, clear red card and the game will be completely different.”