Jeff Stelling rages at ‘terrible’ Newcastle United v West Ham United decision by Match of the Day
Jeff Stelling has hit out at the Match of the Day producers for not discussing the second Newcastle United penalty in their 4-3 win over West Ham United on Saturday.
Aleksander Isak’s 77th-minute penalty brought the score to 3-2 before the Magpies scored two more late goals to win the game at St James’ Park.
However, Isak’s second penalty conversion of the game came after a controversial decision to award the Magpies a spot kick for an alleged foul by Kalvin Phillips on Anthony Gordon.
Phillips went to clear the ball away from danger but Gordon stuck his foot in and got kicked by the on-loan Manchester City midfielder.
Stelling couldn’t believe that Match of the Day failed to discuss the incident.
“Interesting that MotD decided the second Newcastle penalty was not worth discussing despite it being probably the most controversial decision of the weekend,” said Stelling via his personal X account on Saturday night (30 March).
“Not the fault btw of Alex Scott, just [a] terrible production decision.”
Awful BBC Sport reaction to major West Ham United controversy
Have BBC Sport started to give up with Match of the Day?
Gary Lineker hasn’t hosted either of the last two Saturday-night shows despite earning as much money as he does and while Scott is a great presenter, you would have thought that such an action-packed Saturday would have led to the big guns coming out.
But there was no Lineker, no Ian Wright and no Alan Shearer. Scott was alongside Stephen Warnock and Martin Keown – who have the combined charisma and screen presence as a block of wood and a half-empty tin of paint – to go through Saturday’s action.
And then you have the production decision to essentially ignore such a big talking point.
Stelling’s right. This wasn’t the fault of anyone on-screen.
But Match of the Day should have surely seen that as a huge talking point?
It simply wasn’t a foul.
Unfortunately for Phillips, this incident has added to the flak he’s getting and in our opinion, it’s unfair to have a go at him for conceding the penalty because it was Gordon who initiated contact and got himself hurt.
But come on, Match of the Day. You’re arguably BBC One’s flagship show and should be the best of the best of highlight shows.
We might just stick to YouTube highlights from now on.
In other West Ham news, Michael Owen has been left fuming amid a recent controversy in London involving the Hammers.
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