“Eddie Howe Breaks Silence with Bold Newcastle Claim After Ipswich Controversy Erupts
Newcastle United Cruise to Victory Over 10-Man Ipswich to Reclaim Third Place
Newcastle United returned to winning form with a commanding 3-0 win over a 10-man Ipswich Town at St James’ Park, a result that confirmed Ipswich’s relegation and propelled the Magpies back into third place in the Premier League.
Alexander Isak opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a lengthy VAR review overturned referee Michael Salisbury’s initial decision, ruling that Julio Enciso had pulled down Jacob Murphy in the box. Ipswich’s challenge became even harder after Ben Johnson was sent off before half-time for two quick yellow cards.
In the second half, headers from Dan Burn and substitute Will Osula sealed the win for Newcastle, who looked comfortable with the extra man and showed clinical finishing after a cagey first half.
Eddie Howe on Newcastle’s Performance
Speaking after the match, Eddie Howe praised his team’s composure and second-half display:
“It felt great to be back on the touchline. I might have been short on energy, but I was really pleased with the way we managed the game,” Howe said.
“Ipswich made it tough early on, sat deep with lots of men behind the ball. We had to stay patient. The red card helped, of course, but the first goal changed the dynamic. The second half was excellent from us.”
Howe also applauded the variety in goal contributions:
“It’s crucial to get goals from different areas. Dan Burn has a knack for scoring at key moments, and it was great to see Will Osula grab a goal too. He’s a young player with huge potential, and hopefully that lifts his confidence.”
Despite the win, the race for Champions League qualification remains tight. Only two points separate Newcastle and sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who have a game in hand due to FA Cup duties this weekend.
“It’s going to the wire,” Howe admitted. “The key today was bouncing back from last week. We’ve shown consistency, but these next four games are massive.”
Premier League Explains VAR Penalty Decision
The Premier League Match Centre later clarified the reasoning behind the pivotal penalty call.
“#NEWIPS – 45+1 VAR OVERTURN: VAR reviewed the on-field decision of no penalty for a challenge by Enciso on Murphy. After determining a pulling offence, the referee was advised to conduct an on-field review and subsequently awarded a penalty,” the statement read.
The decision was met with strong objections from Ipswich players and fans, with travelling supporters accusing the Premier League of bias in their chants.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna pointed to the red card and penalty decisions in quick succession as decisive moments that shifted the game in Newcastle’s favour.
Howe Responds to Penalty Incident
When asked about the penalty incident, Howe kept his response brief but firm, suggesting the decision was in line with the rules and the use of VAR:
“It looked a clear pull to me. VAR did its job, and we made the most of it.”
