Eddie Howe's Newcastle United verdict on Fulham penalty controversy as Marco Silva rages

Howe’s side won 1-0 thanks to an 89th-minute strike from Alexander Isak, who was making his first Premier League appearance since September.

Former Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic had earlier had a penalty disallowed after touching the ball twice. United had been penalised after Kieran Trippier fouled Bobby Decordova-Reid seconds after Dan Burn appeared to pull back Andreas Pereira in the box.

Referee Robert Jones pointed to the spot after a pitchside VAR check.

Asked about the penalty calls, Howe said: “I can give you my decision live, as in what I saw. I haven’t seen any VAR replays or slow-motions.

"The first one, my gut feel, could have been a penalty. I didn’t feel the second one was. I’m told it might be the other way round. That’s what I saw at the end.”

Fulham head coach Marco Silva was critical of Jones in his post-match press conference.

Silva said: “I have to mention, of course, the moment of the penalty, not because we missed, that can happen, the players are on the pitch and they can miss a penalty. It was in different circumstances that Mitro missed the penalty, but I have to mention the decision of the referee – and the decision of the VAR.

“It’s difficult for us to understand, in 30 seconds, two decisions in the box. Two clear decisions in the box in that moment. It’s difficult to understand how the referee didn’t see one, at least one.

"I think it is normal to see in 30 seconds two moments inside the box. OK, it was a consequence on the game in my opinion,.

Howe felt that Mitrovic’s bizarre miss had “lifted” his team.

“I think we got a lift from that moment,” said United’s head coach. “Bizarrely, sometimes that can happen. They missed a penalty, the crowd really get behind us.

"The players feel maybe a bit more freedom, as they could’ve been behind, and they weren’t. Alex comes on. I thought he did really well. Maxi (Allan Saint-Maximin) did really well. Two substitutes really made a difference.”