Ex-Premier League referee's 'very fortunate' verdict on Newcastle United flashpoint

Nottingham Forest's Ryan Yates was 'very fortunate' not to find himself with at least a booking following his challenge on Newcastle United's Tino Livramento, according to former Premier League referee Jeff Winter.

The Magpies defender went down after Yates' elbow made contact with his face in the opening stages of Sunday's 3-1 win for Eddie Howe's side at the City Ground. United were furious referee Anthony Taylor waved play on - anger that was magnified moments later when Dan Burn was booked for a foul.

That means the Blyth-born defender will now miss their next Premier League game against West Ham and, while Burn's caution was perhaps earned, Newcastle clearly felt the game should have been stopped well before that challenge.

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Livramento needed extensive treatment on the pitch and at half-time, with Howe unusually animated on the touchline. VAR did not intervene, meaning they didn't feel it was a red card offence, and Yates was then involved in a second incident, with a high challenge on Sean Longstaff going unpunished.

Taylor, to be fair, had played advantage as Newcastle maintained possession, but then didn't go back to book the Forest midfielder, who was eventually cautioned in the second half. Former ref Winter feels Yates was unlucky to escape punishment, and called for more clarity on when VAR could get involved.

“With this one it has you thinking, when does VAR get involved?" he told Grosvenor Casino. "The temperature in those few seconds after the incident went right through the roof, because there was another foul seconds later where I think the Newcastle players sought a little bit of retribution, and that was seen and given.

“As I understand it, VAR is supposed to be looking at all red card offences now. Was that a red card offence? I would say at the very least it was a yellow card.

“This is one of those where you’re thinking if it falls into the orange category, and are we re-refereeing the game? That's my frustration, what is and what isn't? And if the referees don't have it fully explained to them and aren’t aware, then what is going on? They should know, and the VAR..

“So, we just get this lack of consistency from one tackle one week to another tackle the other. With this example, it was almost in a previous phase of play.

“But Livramento has gone to the deck and there appears to be the use of an elbow. Somebody far how higher up the food chain than has decided it's not and we're all left scratching our heads. I think he was very fortunate.”

Burn will miss the game against West Ham, with Lloyd Kelly and Emil Krafth potential replacements. Kelly featured alongside Fabian Schar in last month's 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Chelsea, impressing with a series of well-timed challenges.