Eagle-eyed fans on social media believe that Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka may have been off his line when he heroically denied Blackburn Rovers captain Dominic Hyam from the spot during their FA Cup clash on Tuesday night.
After neutralising the Magpies’ late opening goal in 79th minute, the hosts forced the fifth round tie to a penalty shoot-out for a spot in the competition’s quarter-finals after neither side was able to break the deadlock in extra time.
Blackburn regained their footing after Dubravka saved Sammie Szmodics’ first kick when Aynsley Pears sprung into action to stop Harvey Barnes’ attempt, but the Newcastle ‘keeper again dived low to keep out Hyam’s final effort and knock out the home side.
A number of users watching images from behind goal seemed to spot Dubravka off his line before the defender struck the ball.
Fans on social media appeared to catch Martin Dubravka off his line before saving Dominic Hyam’s final penalty
The Newcastle ‘keeper was the hero of the hour after denying both Blackburn’s captain and goalscorer Sammie Szmodics
Dubravka was forced into action after a 1-1 deadlock at the end of 90 minutes and extra time
One wrote: ‘Unlucky for Blackburn against Newcastle especially seeing as Dubravka was off his line for winning penalty save!!!’
Another queried: ‘No VAR tonight? Dubravka was off his line’.
A third added: ‘Dubravka was off his line when Hyams’ penalty was being taken. If it had VAR involved it would have been retaken.
‘Just proves how corrupt officiating is nowadays’.
But some were keen to view the apparent missed call as a net positive for refereeing without the technology, with one user noting: ‘No VAR and a brilliant game of non stop action.
‘Loads and loads of chances by both teams!! Even at the end there VAR would have disallowed the last pen as Dubravka was off his line.
Viewers leapt to social media to share their frustration with the refereeing decision on Tuesday
Eddie Howe will be pleased with his side’s bounceback after a 4-1 drubbing against Arsenal
‘The game just flows better not being stopped every five minutes’.
A place in the FA Cup quarter-finals should go some way to staunching the flow of criticism levelled at head coach Eddie Howe amid a turbulent run of form for the Tyneside club.
Over the weekend Newcastle suffered a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of their Emirates hosts Arsenal, and the Magpies were held to high-scoring draws by Luton and Bournemouth in an uneven February.
Pushed back to 10th place in the Premier League table, the side will travel to ninth-placed Wolves for their next tie, with a win at Molineux capable of launching Howe’s players as high as seventh.
