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Referee Simon Hooper may have made a key error in the Newcastle United draw by not sending Junior Firpo off sooner.

What's the latest on VAR and Newcastle?

With Leeds United hosting the Magpies at Elland Road and both teams fighting for a positive result, it's no shock that the game had plenty of drama.

Indeed, Eddie Howe and co are still pushing to secure Champions League football, while the Whites are desperately hoping to avoid relegation.

In the end, the teams had to settle for a point each in an eventful 2-2 Premier League draw that saw three penalties awarded (one missed) and a further red card dished out.

Leeds got off to a great start when Luke Ayling scored and then Firpo won a penalty. However, Patrick Bamford missed the resulting spot kick.

Shortly after, NUFC were level as Callum Wilson scored from 12 yards. He then netted again thanks to a penalty before Rasmus Kristensen eventually scored to see the game end all square.

However, it seems as though Firpo probably should have been sent off for a second yellow card when giving away the third penalty of the game.

Indeed, as you can see in footage from the Sky Sports highlights package, he is penalised for using his hand to clear the ball.

Why did Firpo avoid a second yellow after the penalty?

It's a clear handball and so it's no shock that with the use of VAR, the officials come to the right decision and award the spot kick.

However, seeing as they've reached that conclusion, it remains unclear as to why Firpo isn't booked for his misdemeanour.

What's more, the left-back had already been booked for an earlier foul and so this should have really resulted in a red card.

Journalist Aaron Stokes took to Twitter to remark on the odd mistake from the referee, saying: "Can someone, anyone explain to me why that isn't a second yellow for Firpo?"

While former footballer now pundit Don Hutchison explained how the officials had got it wrong, noting: "Surley that’s a Firpo second yellow card for handball and “stopping a promising attack” That’s the official law."

Ironically enough, Firpo still did manage to get himself off late on in the game for a foul on Anthony Gordon but that happened in the 91st minute, giving Newcastle little time to take advantage.

Had the defender been correctly sent off in the 69th minute instead, then this would have quite likely changed the final outcome of the match.

Graeme White spun Northamptonshire’s Royal London Cup campaign into gear with a career-best six-wicket haul as Lancashire were comfortably beaten by 76 runs at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2016
ScorecardGraeme White destroyed Lancashire with six wickets•Getty ImagesGraeme White spun Northamptonshire’s Royal London Cup campaign into gear with a career-best six-wicket haul as Lancashire were comfortably beaten by 76 runs at Wantage Road.On a wicket that had been used for almost 130 overs before Lancashire began their chase of 287, Northamptonshire’s quartet of spinners all caused problems and White led the attack, enjoying turn and bounce to take six for 37 – thesixth-best return by a Northants bowler in List A cricket.He began by bowling Tom Smith, missing having skipped down the pitch, and then having Karl Brown caught at mid-on. Brown got Lancashire’s chase off to a fine start with a half-century in 46 balls and 13 fours but two balls after raisingfifty, picked out Josh Cobb to fall for 51.It prompted a slump from 86 for two to 124 for 6 as Jos Buttler fell for just two – bowled by Seekkuge Prasanna – and Liam Livingstone stumped after skipping down the wicket against White. When Steven Croft was soon run out attempting a single that was never available, Lancashire had carelessly subsided.Luke Procter got the chase moving again in a stand of 54 for the seventh wicket with Jordan Clark. But with the required rate edging towards eight-an-over, Clark took a chance against White, came down the pitch, swung and missed and was stumped for 17.White’s five-for was completed with a beauty that turned past the outside edge into Stephen Parry’s off stump and when Nathan Buck took a big swing and missed, White had a career-best and Lancashire were all out for 211. He also took five against Lancashire in the 50-over competition three years ago.On a good batting wicket that yielded plenty of runs in the two T20s previously played on it, Northamptonshire’s 287 for eight appeared only a par score. They struggled early on, slumping to 37 for three before a fine recovery from BenDuckett and Rob Keogh. Having reset the innings to 174 for 3 with 15 overs to go, the home side did not quite kick on as Lancashire continued to take wickets.But their position was laid by Keogh and Duckett. Three times Duckett swung Parry down the ground but his fifty in 79 balls with five fours was a largely restrained affair and most necessary to rebuild the Northants innings.He shared a stand worth 125 in 25.1 overs for the fourth wicket with Keogh, who went past his own fifty – his first of the season – in 62 balls with four fours. He timed the ball very well throughout but fell in Buck’s first over back intothe attack, trying to lift a drive down the ground and only hoisting it to cover.It was a smart recovery after Northants were plunged into trouble early by a fine opening spell from Buck. In just his second appearance of the season. Buck’s first six overs conceded only nine runs and he took wickets with thefirst balls of both his second and fourth overs – Adam Rossington lost his off bail for just one trying to pull and Cobb tamely clipped straight to Alviro Petersen at short midwicket after a bright 22.The start became better for Lancashire when Alex Wakely’s poor run of form continued. After just 30 runs in his last four innings, he was bowled by Saqib Mahmood for an eight-ball duck.

Newcastle United dropped points in their bid to qualify for the Champions League next season as they were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal at St. James' Park on Sunday in the Premier League.

The referee made a big call in the opening ten minutes by awarding a penalty for Jakub Kiwior appearing to handle Bruno Guimaraes' strike from the edge of the box. However, the official overturned his decision after being sent to the monitor to see that the ball hit the thigh of the defender.

Shortly after, Martin Odegaard gave the Gunners the lead with a sublime strike from distance. The Norway international collected the ball from 25 yards out and lasered a shot past Nick Pope.

Alexander Isak came within inches from equalising in the 48th minute as his header came crashing back off the post from Jacob Murphy's cross.

Arsenal sealed all three points in the 71st minute as Gabriel Martinelli raced away down the left flank before flashing a cross in that deflected into the net off Fabian Schar.

How did Callum Wilson perform against Arsenal?

Whilst it was a disappointing result for the Magpies and far from one of their best team performances of the campaign, Callum Wilson – in particular – struggled with his role at the top end of the pitch and must be dropped next weekend.

The England international was brought back into the starting XI after scoring twice off the bench against Southampton last time out, which resulted in Isak moving out wide, but failed to justify his selection as his display left a lot to be desired.

He was tasked with causing problems for Kiwior, who only arrived in England in January, and Gabriel at the back for Arsenal but simply failed to do so.

As per Sofascore, Wilson only created one chance for his teammates and did not register a single effort on goal in his 78 minutes on the pitch.

The 31-year-old was also bullied out of the match by his opponents. Indeed, the forward lost five of his six (83%) individual duels with this leading to him having just 19 touches of the ball – fewer than Pope's 33.

That damning statistic sums up Wilson's performance and illustrates how much the £92k-per-week attacker struggled to impact the game. His lack of physicality in duels with Kiwior and Gabriel meant that the striker did not have enough opportunities to showcase his quality.

This display must now lead to the Englishman being dropped from the XI for the clash with Leeds next time out as having Anthony Gordon and Allan Saint-Maximin available to play on the left means that Isak can be selected in his natural position if Wilson drops to the bench.

He did not do enough against Arsenal to justify keeping his place in the starting line up against the Whites and Howe now has some big selection decisions to make heading into that game.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, with Leeds United having made the decision to appoint Sam Allardyce – who has been out of work for almost two years – in order to help secure their Premier League survival.

Despite having already parted ways with Jesse Marsch earlier in the campaign, the Whites have opted for one more roll of the dice by showing Javi Gracia the door, with the club still in a perilous position with just four games of the season left to play.

With the end of season fast approaching, the incoming Englishman will have little time to work his magic in an attempt to revive the struggling Elland Road outfit, with it yet to be seen whether it is merely a case of too little too late in the bid to stave off the drop.

The 68-year-old will be taking charge of a side that is currently on a run of five league games without a win following the weekend defeat away to Bournemouth, with the current crop of senior stars having undoubtedly been well below-par of late.

With that in mind, it may be wise for Allardyce to turn to the Yorkshire side's pool of exciting youngsters in order to find a potential relegation solution, with 19-year-old Darko Gyabi seemingly one such talent who could provide a much-needed lift the floundering first-team.

Who is Leeds United's Darko Gyabi?

With Leeds having forked out around £5m to sign the highly-rated teenager from Manchester City last summer, the England U19 international has gone on to feature just three times at senior level since then, having rather bizarrely been overlooked by both Marsch and his successor.

Despite a potential slot in the squad having emerged amid Tyler Adams' injury woes, the departing Gracia has still favoured a midfield pairing of Marc Roca and Weston McKennie in recent times, despite the latter man, in particular, having looked "out of his depth", according to pundit Jon Newsome.

Signed on an initial loan deal from Juventus in January, McKennie has been unable to have the desired impact at Elland Road thus far, with Newsome also stating the game merely "passes him by", such are his woes.

The United States international can "comes across as lazy" and "look slow" when he's "not playing well" – as per transfer insider Dean Jones – with those shortcomings having been evident against the Cherries last time out, as the 6 foot dud was a 'complete passenger' according to Leeds Live's William Jackson.

As such, there is nothing really to lose from giving young Gyabi a chance to shine moving forward, with the London-born gem having shown his quality in the youth ranks so far this season, notably contributing two goals and three assists in 17 Premier League 2 games.

The exciting talent only recently 'showed his class' in the defeat to West Bromwich Albion's U21 side – as per Jackson – having also been branded as "class" by journalist Joe Donnohue after putting in the "most complete midfield display" of any Leeds player "at any level" this season against Derby County back in March.

While there's no guarantee that the former Etihad starlet would be able to replicate such standout displays amid an intense scrap for survival with the first-team, the woes of McKennie and co should ensure that Allardyce at least contemplates a promotion for the youngster.

Newcastle United could now land Brazilian sensation Angelo Gabriel this summer, with reports in Brazil (via Sport Witness) revealing that his club, Santos, are in desperate need of cash.

What is the latest on Angelo Gabriel to Newcastle?

The Premier League outfit have had an incredible campaign this year, surprising plenty with how competitive they've been and with their staying power at the top end of the division. The club are currently sat in third place with just five games to go and are eyeing a first season in Europe since 2012/13, when they featured in the Europa League.

It comes down to a combination of new owners PIF and manager Eddie Howe. Newcastle's new owners have already splashed the cash with the Toon and are even considering rivalling Man City by branching out into the ownership of other clubs, with KV Oostende in Belgium the latest side rumored to be on their radar.

Howe too has shone, managing his best ever win-rate as a boss with 54%. Being given a platform to work with, the former Bournemouth boss is flourishing and will be looking to add more strength to his side's ranks this window in order to keep his team improving.

One name that could make the move to England this summer is Angelo Gabriel, with Brazilian media via Sport Witness reporting that Santos are prepared to sell the winger. The report states that the South American club need money, as they are struggling financially, and are willing to part ways with Gabriel to boost their funds. Newcastle are prepared to capitalise on that situation and could launch a fresh bid to sign him then at the end of the campaign.

Who is Angelo Gabriel?

Gabriel is the latest Brazilian youngster to be impressing in his native country, with clubs now lining up to sign him according to previous reports from Italy.

The winger has impressed despite his youth, breaking records before he has even hit his twenties. He is already the youngest player to ever score in the Copa Libertadores and his former coach Ariel Holan admitted that the player has a "huge future" in the game.

His efforts in Brazil so far would certainly back that up – he's played in 116 games for Santos already and has 13 goal contributions to his name, with the 18-year-old proving he has a penchant for teeing up his teammates via his ten assists.

Whilst a move to Newcastle – or any club for that matter – at this age would be a tough prospect for most players, Gabriel has already achieved plenty despite his tender age and his potential is clear to see. The Toon would do well to have him in their squad.

Tottenham manager target Vincent Kompany has held a three-hour phone call with London rivals Chelsea recently, according to journalist Nathan Gissing.

What’s the latest on Kompany to Spurs?

There have been many, many different reports linking the Man City legend to Spurs in the last month, with some even suggesting that he is chairman Daniel Levy’s top target.

The Lilywhites parted company with former boss Antonio Conte last month after a mutual agreement, leaving interim boss Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason in temporary charge until the end of this Premier League season.

Kompany is on the agenda to replace Conte at Spurs with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano recently backing their real interest in the Burnley boss. Even though there are some reports of the 37-year-old being unwilling to leave Turf Moor, other conflicting claims state that he is open to talks with Tottenham.

One common denominator among these rumours is Spurs do like the former Anderlecht boss, but they aren’t the only side, with Chelsea also eyeing a move for Kompany.

After sacking Graham Potter, the Stamford Bridge side are still well in the search for their new manager alongside Spurs – posing a threat to Levy and co as both clubs chase football’s most sought-after coaches.

Now, sharing an update on Kompany, reporter Gissing – who contributes to Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio’s personal website – says Chelsea are moving for the tactician.

Should Spurs keep pushing for Kompany?

It appears that Chelsea could rival Spurs for another manager, coming after reports of their interest in Luis Enrique and Mauricio Pochettino.

Leading Burnley back to the top flight at the first time of asking, Kompany is attracting real attention as a man in demand, with his stock never being higher.

The Championship leaders have scored more goals, conceded fewest and won more matches than any other side in England’s second tier – highlighting the remarkable job he’s done since taking the reins in Lancashire.

Pep Guardiola is certainly an admirer of his character and leadership, having called him an ‘incredible’ figure whilst holding the utmost respect for his former star.

Chelsea’s presence complicates a Tottenham move for Kompany somewhat, so it will be interesting to see if Spurs keep pursuing or move on to other targets.

Chelsea face Real Madrid in the Champions League second leg tonight, with Frank Lampard's side in need of a miracle if they are to overturn a two-goal deficit against the holders at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have lost three games in a row since Lampard was appointed as interim manager until the end of the season and were comfortably second-best at the Santiago Bernabeu last week, with goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio sealing a 2-0 win for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

With a lack of quality in the final third still the major issue for the west London outfit, Lampard must consider restoring Kai Havertz to his starting side tonight, in the hope that Chelsea's top scorer can inspire the Blues to an unlikely victory.

Should Havertz start against Real Madrid?

The former Bayer Leverkusen man was sidelined for last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Brighton due to a knee problem but returned to training at Cobham on Monday and is reportedly fit to face Madrid.

Although the 23-year-old has been criticised for his "criminal" finishing this season – as per vlogger George Benson – he is still comfortably the top scorer in Chelsea's squad, as he boasts seven goals in the Premier League and two in the Champions League so far this campaign.

With finding the net a must this evening, it surely makes sense to unleash the Germany international, as he has registered the second-most shots and fifth-most key passes per game in the Premier League throughout the Chelsea squad this term.

Havertz, who earns £150k-per-week at Stamford Bridge, earned a lot of praise from Owen Hargreaves on BT Sport after he scored in the 2-0 triumph against Borussia Dortmund earlier in the season.

He said (via Football 365): “I thought Kai Havertz was absolutely outstanding. He stepped up, the composure to step up and put it in the same place, I thought he was brilliant today.

“A lot of people say as a false nine, a player in different positions, I just thought he delivers. He was fantastic today, showed real composure in big moments."

The young attacker's ability in the air also makes him an excellent target man, and someone who can hold the ball up and be a threat from crosses, which could be crucial after the Blues struggled so much to keep the ball against Brighton over the weekend when Lampard selected three less-than-physical winger options in his attack.

Only Benoit Badiashile has won more than Havertz's 2.4 successful aerial duels per game this season which suggests that he could dominate Madrid's centre-back David Alaba, who has mustered just 0.4 aerials won per game in La Liga so far this term.

The Austrian possesses a huge amount of experience thanks to his time with Bayern Munich and Madrid but stands at just 5 foot 11, so could struggle against the 6 foot 4 Havertz, and Lampard must surely restore him to his starting side if he wants to see Chelsea progress to the semi-finals tonight.

Tottenham Hotspur caretaker manager Cristian Stellini is dealing with an injury crisis heading into their Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon, and things aren't getting any better just yet…

What's the latest on Richarlison's injury?

Several of Spurs' usual starters are on the treatment table right now, ranging from the long-term blows of Rodrigo Bentancur and Emerson Royal, to the more short-term absences of Ben Davies and Richarlison.

The Brazil international has returned to light training this week but according to the Italian, who was Antonio Conte's assistant prior to his departure, he isn't going to feature today.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference (via football.london), Stellini revealed:

"No good news about players that come back for the next game.

"We are getting closer with Richarlison. He trained on the pitch but he trained alone. We are going well with Ben Davies with the plan but we have to wait a bit for him."

How big a blow is this news to Spurs?

On Monday night, the Lilywhites let slip in the race to finish in the top four, having witnessed Everton defender Michael Keane rifle in a late long-range screamer to equalise at Goodison Park.

It means that they remained in fifth place and a defeat to the high-flying Seagulls could soon see them drop closer to the Europa Conference League, or no place in Europe at all. That's because today's visitors hold a game in hand on Spurs.

Richarlison has certainly struggled in the Premier League this season, failing to register a single goal, but he has largely played second fiddle to Harry Kane as the backup no.9. Indeed, he's averaged only 39 minutes per top-flight appearance.

Meanwhile, Heung-min Son continues to be trusted despite his own woes, so if the £90k-per-week star was available, you can't help but feel he'd have gotten his chance in recent matches, if not this one.

Once lauded as a "warrior" by Conte, the 24-year-old's incredible attitude and drive is something that the squad could benefit from as it's infectious and it may well be what's needed to get them over the line.

In a disappointing Toffees team last term, Richarlison found the net ten times and laid on five assists, so you don't become a poor player overnight and now he's got players like Kane and Dejan Kulusevski around him, much better options than in Merseyside.

As such, the continued absence of Richarlison is sure to be a gutting blow to Stellini and the squad, though they will hopefully get him back on the pitch in time for a winnable clash against relegation candidates AFC Bournemouth next weekend.

Leeds United are working on a move to bring Hamilton Academical teenager Josh McDonald to Elland Road, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites are currently in a battle to avoid the drop in the Premier League under Javi Gracia, however, sporting Victor Orta already appears to be looking at potential summer transfers.

He has confirmed that the club are keen on bringing in Barcelona teenager Ilias Akhomach when his Nou Camp contract expires in the summer, whereas Leeds also made a late move to hijack Aston Villa’s deal for Celtic youngster Aidan Borland.

Adding to the club’s Thorp Arch academy appears to be high on Orta’s agenda over the coming months, with a move for McDonald seemingly of interest to those in Yorkshire.

Football Insider shared a story regarding McDonald and Leeds in the last 48 hours. They revealed that the Whites have already been in contact with the 16-year-old midfielder and his family, looking to tempt him to move south. Leeds aren’t alone, though, with Rangers and other Premier League sides eyeing the teenager.

Could McDonald be a future first-team star at Leeds?

Orta has brought in several youngsters during his time at Leeds, with many getting their chance on the first-team stage in the Premier League. The likes of Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk are now considered first-team regulars after joining as teenagers, whereas Crysencio Summerville and summer signing Wilfried Gnonto have also made a positive impact in Yorkshire.

The Whites even became the first team in Premier League history to hand eight teenagers their debuts in a single campaign last season, with Leo Hjelde being one of those after arriving from another Scottish side in Celtic. McDonald could be well aware of the pathway through to the senior side at Leeds, and it looks as if the Whites are keen on getting a deal done after approaching the teenager and his family.

Described as an “exceptional talent” by coaches, McDonald could well be the next player to try and breakthrough at Elland Road. He has already made seven caps for his nation at U18 level, two years above his age group, and a move south to Leeds could well be one to keep an eye on following this update.

Arsene Wenger enjoyed a remarkable 22-year spell in charge of Arsenal, leading them to their finest ever era and becoming the first team to go an entire Premier League campaign undefeated, doing so in 2003/04.

It wasn’t just the winning that was enjoyable, but the swashbuckling style of football they played while doing so, swatting teams away with ease, with players such as Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp enjoying plenty of freedom.

His final decade in charge of the Gunners was much less successful and his business in the transfer market became progressively worse, signing duds such as Lucas Perez and Marouane Chamakh who didn’t exactly improve the side as they only won three FA Cups during his final 12 years at the helm.

One of his poorest signings was that of French right-back Mathieu Debuchy, who failed to live up to the hype during his failed spell at the North Londoners between 2014 and 2018.

How much did Mathieu Debuchy cost Arsenal?

The defender joined the club in the summer of 2014 for a fee reported to be £12m and considering his performances for Newcastle United, making 46 appearances in 18 months and the French national side, featuring in the recent 2014 World Cup, he looked like a solid signing by Wenger.

Indeed, he even praised Debuchy highly upon his arrival, saying: "He has shown he can perform at the highest level with his club sides and also for France. He is a quality defender who has good Premier League experience and I'm confident he will fit in very well with us."

His spell would turn out to be a mistake, making just 22 appearances in his first 18 months at the club, largely due to a shoulder injury. The right-back would subsequently join French side Bordeaux for the second half of the 2015/16 campaign.

Returning to Arsenal ahead of the 2016/17 season, it looked as though Wenger was going to give him a second chance, yet he failed to take it, playing just once that term and only seven games the season after before sealing a move back to Ligue 1, joining Saint-Étienne in January 2018.

He clearly couldn’t quite cut it in England as after leaving for his homeland, Debuchy scored four goals during his first six months in France, even earning the player of the month award shortly after moving to the club, completing a sparkling turnaround.

His spell at the Emirates was a disaster and across his 156 weeks in London (not counting his loan spell), he rinsed the club for a total of £22.7m, combining his transfer fee plus the £10.7m he earned in wages.

He was even dubbed “terrible” by popular Arsenal fan site the Short Fuse back in 2016, having cost the club £760k every time he played, a staggering waste of money which could have been spent on other areas of the team.

It was a rare flop by Wenger, but when he made mistakes, they were often on a colossal scale.