Antonio Conte and Rafa Benitez disagree over Lloris VAR penalty decision

Tottenham Hotspur move down to ninth in the Premier League table this weekend after Antonio Conte’s first match in charge ended 0-0. 

The Lilywhites faced a tough trip to Merseyside as they faced Everton in a 14:00 kick-off and, while Spurs managed to stay solid at the back, they struggled to create chances.

Conte decided to name an unchanged XI from his first taste of European competition with Tottenham on Thursday against Vitesse Arnhem in the Conference League.

However, while they scored 3-0 that night, the likes of Kane, Son and Moura found it difficult to manoeuvre themselves into scoring positions. Tottenham’s two best chances arguably fell to Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal in the wing-back positions.

Although Giovani Lo Celso crashed the post late on and Hugo Lloris has a penalty decision overturned by VAR, the points were shared at Goodison as the score remained 0-0.

It was the VAR call, which adjudged that Lloris had got a slight touch on the ball when challenging Richarlison, that divided opinion between the two managers after the full-time whistle.

In his press conference, Conte said (Football London): “Lloris touched the ball before. To make a mistake after you watch VAR is impossible. I have seen and he took the right decision.”

Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez said (Dan Kilpatrick): “In the middle of the pitch it’s a foul, so in the box, it has to be a foul. If you touch him in the middle of the pitch, it’s a foul. So it has to be a penalty.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

I have no idea what Rafa is on about here. Lloris got a slight touch on the ball and, therefore, it is not a foul. Those are the rules anywhere on the pitch. Although, yes, granted, if Lloris did that outside his box, you can have the foul, Rafa.

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