Steve Bruce launches extraordinary attack on referee Tim Robinson

Steve Bruce blamed referee Tim Robinson for Newcastle United’s defeat at Turf Moor.
Steve Bruce approaches referee Tim Robinson after the game.Steve Bruce approaches referee Tim Robinson after the game.
Steve Bruce approaches referee Tim Robinson after the game.

A Chris Wood header from a disputed corner gave Burnley a 1-0 win this afternoon.

It was referee Tim Robinson’s first Premier League game, and Bruce had been concerned ahead of the fixture.

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“Since Tuesday, we knew the referee was making his debut,” said Bruce. “You’re hoping then the game doesn’t rest on a refereeing decision, but unfortunately that’s what we’re talking about. We feel aggrieved because we’re at the elite level, and, for me, the referee looked short.

“I know it was his first game, but it would have been quite easy for him to have given the foul (instead of the corner), which it was, and everything else would have been forgotten about. But he reacted too often to the crowd and gave a few strange decisions.”

Bruce felt that Federico Fernandez had been fouled by Wood before Robinson awarded Burnley the corner from which the striker scored.

“We feel aggrieved that the referee has awarded them a corner, after initially giving a goal kick when the ball wasn’t out,” said United's head coach.

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“He’s then listened to somebody who’s probably 80 yards away, but it looked a foul and when I’ve seen it again, it’s a clear and blatant foul. We’re talking about a decision that’s ultimately cost us the game.”

Robinson refereed the Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City early in the season in which Hamza Choudhury was only shown a yellow for a reckless challenge on Matt Ritchie, who remains sidelined.