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Michael Dawson slams West Ham penalty award v Newcastle United
Michael Dawson is adamant West Ham were lucky to win a penalty in their 4-2 win over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
The Irons claimed victory on the opening game of their 2020/21 Premier League campaign but the east London side were involved in a controversial moment in the second half after referee Martin Atkinson awarded them a spot-kick.
Atkinson deemed that Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy upended Pablo Fornals in the penalty area and despite Michail Antonio missing the subsequent penalty kick, Tomas Soucek followed in and scored to make the game 3-2.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender Dawson slammed Atkinson’s decision.
“For me, that is not a penalty,” he said.
“I feel Newcastle have been so hard done by. He takes the touch there and just stretches but you see it when it’s slowed down and from this angle, he touches the ball onto Fornals and that for me is criminal. That is not a penalty. It’s so, so soft.”
Take what we can get
Newcastle can probably feel hard done by after Atkinson awarded David Moyes’ side a penalty at St James Park.
The game was level at 2-2 and allowed us a golden opportunity to go in front.
Soucek spared Antonio’s blushes by scoring the rebound from his saved penalty before the Irons forward made it 4-2 three minutes later.
We know what it’s like to be on the receiving end on these sorts of decisions and it’s tough to take.
But that’s why we can’t feel too sorry for Newcastle as it’s about time we get some fortune.
A penalty is also a rare occurrence for us as we were only awarded four in the entire 2020/21 Premier League campaign, with only Burnley receiving fewer [three].
Besides, the game was only going one way as we bombarded the Magpies defence in the second half.
Atkinson and the VAR officials may have some explaining to do on Monday, but we’re not going to complain this time around.
In other West Ham news, Graeme Souness & Micah Richards hailed this ‘Brilliant’ Irons ace after Sunday’s 4-2 win v Newcastle.
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