Newcastle boss fumes as Wood nets winner
Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has fired up over All Whites striker Chris Wood’s winning goal for Burnley in the English Premier League yesterday.
Wood headed home in the 58th minute to give the hosts at Turf Moor a 1-0 victory in the midtable clash, but the goal didn’t sit well with the visitors’ boss, who was critical of debut referee Tim Robinson.
Robinson had originally awarded a goal kick instead of a corner, but then changed the decision after the intervention of his assistant.
Bruce felt Robinson had been influenced by the crowd throughout the contest and that his inexperience was shown up.
‘‘We feel aggrieved that the referee has awarded them a corner after initially giving a goal kick,’’ Bruce said. ‘‘It looked a foul. I’ve seen it again – a clear, blatant foul.
‘‘We knew the referee was making his debut and you hope it doesn’t hang on a refereeing decision.
‘‘Unfortunately that is what we are talking about. We’re at the elite level and, for me, the referee looked short. It wasn’t just the goal. It’s the other ones [decisions] as well.
‘‘There were far too many mistakes and, for me, he was not ready to referee a Premier League game.’’
Wood outmuscled Federico Fernandez to meet the Ashley Westwood corner at the back post and netted what was his seventh goal of the season.
It ended a run of three successive losses for Burnley, who climb to 12th on the ladder, on 21 points, one behind Newcastle. It was their fifth home league win of the season, and all have come without conceding.
Meanwhile, Mo Salah continued Liverpool’s charge, scoring both goals in their 2-0 home victory over Watford – a result that extended the Reds’ lead to 10 points as they move closer to a first Premier League title in 30 years.
Salah made it four goals in as many days as he followed up his Champions League double by finishing off a lightning counterattack in the 38th minute then making sure of the victory with a cheeky back-heel from a tight angle in injury time.
It wasn’t all so easy for Liverpool, though, even against a
Watford side that is last in the standings. Only poor finishing prevented the visitors from taking at least a point in Nigel Pearson’s first game in charge.
Second-placed Leicester had their eight-game winning streak ended after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by second-last Norwich.
Jamie Vardy’s streak of scoring in eight-straight league games also ended after his header from a corner was ruled an own-goal by Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul, who directed the ball into the net with his hand.
Fourth-placed Chelsea slumped to a fourth loss in five league games in a 1-0 home defeat to Bournemouth – giving added hope to the handful of teams chasing the final Champions League spot.
Dan Gosling scored an 84thminute winner when he flicked the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the net despite standing with his back to goal, ending Bournemouth’s run of five successive league losses.
Sheffield jumped into a provisional fifth place by beating fellow promoted side Aston Villa 2-0, with John Fleck scoring both goals, while West Ham eased the pressure on manager Manuel Pellegrini with a 1-0 win at Southampton.