Hackett Exclusive: ‘VAR should have intervened’ after Man City controversy vs Newcastle

It was a night that Manchester City fans will never forget, and not for good reasons. A night at St James’ Park that was supposed to be another chapter of domination, another episode of joy, another comfort of victory ended up turning into the biggest talking point in football. Everyone expected Guardiola and his boys to walk away with three points, especially after Liverpool had already lost earlier in the day. The door was open, the chance was right there, the opportunity was perfect. But what happened on that pitch still leaves people speechless even now. A 2-1 defeat that was filled with controversy, anger, confusion, heartbreak, and most of all fury about the one moment that changed the whole game. The moment Phil Foden was kicked down in the penalty box and nothing happened. No whistle. No VAR. No justice. Only silence. And silence was the biggest noise in football that night.

The first half of the match started tight, both sides fighting for control. Manchester City looked like they came for business. Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Rodri, and the monstrous Erling Haaland looked ready to punish Newcastle. The crowd was loud but City were calm. They pressed high, they moved the ball, they controlled the tempo. It looked like one of those matches where City just waited for the right moment before destroying their opponent. But football is cruel and it doesn’t respect plans. The longer Newcastle defended, the stronger their belief became. The longer City dominated the ball without scoring, the more the home crowd grew in confidence. And then came the moment that the whole world is discussing because that was where everything changed.

Phil Foden received the ball beautifully inside the box after a smart pass. He already saw the goal. He knew exactly what to do. He took the shot, but just after hitting the ball, Fabian Schar dived into him with a dangerous tackle. It wasn’t small. It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t accidental. It was a clear foul that anywhere else on the pitch would have been given immediately. Foden fell, City players screamed, Guardiola jumped off the touchline, and fans waited for VAR to do its job. And that is where football turned into a movie. Nothing happened.

VAR stayed silent. The referee stayed silent. Play continued like nothing happened. It was as if the moment didn’t exist. As if Foden should have just stood up and pretended everything was normal. The decision shocked everyone wearing blue. It shocked neutrals. It shocked even former referees. But inside the stadium, that moment transformed the energy. Newcastle fans became louder. City players became frustrated. And football punished frustration.

Harvey Barnes scored from long range, a strike that came out of nowhere. The stadium exploded. Pep Guardiola paced the touchline shaking his head because he knew the truth: it should have been 1-0 Manchester City from the penalty spot. But instead, it was 1-0 Newcastle, and football does not give refunds.

Manchester City responded quickly. Ruben Dias equalised with a strong finish and hope returned for a moment. Not for long. The second half started and City pushed forward, but frustration turned into pressure and pressure turned into desperation. Erling Haaland, the man who normally destroys defenders like paper, missed two shocking chances. You could see in his face that something was wrong. He wasn’t smiling, he wasn’t relaxed, his touches weren’t sharp. It felt like the VAR decision earlier broke the spirit of the whole team.

And football is evil when it senses weakness. Newcastle scored again. Harvey Barnes again. 2-1. The whole stadium turned into noise and chaos. City players protested again because they believed another VAR decision favoured Newcastle, especially when the officials used Dias’ sleeve to justify Bruno Guimaraes being onside. Pep Guardiola could not believe what he was watching. His face showed anger, confusion, disappointment, and helplessness all at the same time.

After the final whistle, City players looked broken. Foden looked like someone who had been robbed in broad daylight. He knew that the tackle changed the whole match. He knew he deserved the penalty. He knew VAR abandoned him. And now, instead of celebrating a comeback, he walked off the pitch with regret in his eyes. He barely spoke to anyone. He walked to the dressing room with his head down, and even the Newcastle players didn’t celebrate near him because they knew the incident was controversial.

People around the world started talking immediately. Fans, journalists, pundits, ex-players, and even referees. And then came the biggest voice of the night: Keith Hackett, former PGMOL chief, a man who understands officiating better than almost anyone. He didn’t hide. He didn’t protect the system. He didn’t pretend. He said the truth with boldness. He said that VAR was wrong, the referee was wrong, and Manchester City should have received a penalty. According to him, the foul on Foden was obvious and the shot did not change the fact that the tackle was illegal and dangerous. He explained that anywhere else on the pitch it would have been a free kick, so inside the box it must be a penalty. And he finished by saying the words every Manchester City fan needed to hear: VAR should have intervened.

But hearing the truth didn’t heal the pain. The result was still 2-1. The points were gone. And the Premier League table changed dramatically because of that one decision. Liverpool had already lost earlier, Arsenal were preparing to play Tottenham, and Manchester City could have moved one point behind first place with a win. But football didn’t allow it. VAR didn’t allow it. And now the Premier League title race looks different because of a moment that should have been simple.

Inside the dressing room, the atmosphere was heavy. Guardiola didn’t shout, he didn’t scream, he didn’t blame. He sat down, shocked. The players sat silently, trying to understand how things went wrong. Foden was the most emotional, because he felt like the entire weight of the game rested on him. People tried to tell him he did nothing wrong, but he still replayed the moment in his head over and over again. Haaland sat quietly too, disappointed in himself. He knew the missed chances didn’t help. Dias punched the air angrily because he gave everything only to walk away empty-handed.

But football moves fast. There is no time to soak in sadness. Bayer Leverkusen and Leeds United are next, both coming to the Etihad. And if there is one thing Guardiola teams are known for, it is revenge. When they get hurt, they don’t cry for long. They come back stronger. And that is what the whole football world is now afraid of. When Manchester City feel betrayed, they become dangerous. When they feel robbed, they become unstoppable. And this time, they feel both.

The Premier League is now watching. The referees are now under pressure. VAR is now under fire. And Phil Foden is now playing with something deeper than motivation — he is playing with pain and hunger. He wants to prove a point. He wants justice through goals, through assists, through performances. And every team that faces Manchester City next should be worried, because a wounded champion is more dangerous than a comfortable champion

People will continue talking about that penalty for weeks, maybe months. Some will say it was robbery. Some will call it human mistake. Some will defend VAR. Some will ask for investigations. But one thing is certain: that moment changed the match. That moment changed the table. That moment changed emotions. And that moment may even change the course of the Premier League title race.

Football continues, but City will never forget. The fans will never forget. Guardiola will never forget. And Phil Foden definitely will never forget.

Sometimes football is not about tactics, players, or goals. Sometimes football becomes a story of injustice that fuels greatness. And that might be exactly what happened tonight. The world tried to break Manchester City. But now Manchester City will try to break the world back.