Tottenham Hotspur took on Manchester City at the new stadium in North London yesterday, with the home side eventually winning with a 2-0 result.
However, the game could have been very different had a certain decision been made in the early portions of the match.
When Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling went head to head for a 50/50 in the early moments of the game, the latter went over the ball with his studs showing and clattered Alli’s ankle.
The Spurs man was down for some time and had to receive treatment on the pitch before eventually carrying on, albeit gingerly.
Unfortunately, Dele was still feeling the full force of the challenge an hour later when he was removed for Tanguy Ndombele.
However, despite the horrific nature of the challenge, VAR reviewed it and decided that no further action was needed on top of the yellow card already shown by Mike Dean.
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Man City went on to control the first half, but eventually were reduced to ten men when Zinchenko saw red later on.
Mourinho was clear in his thoughts about VAR, starting with the penalty call against Spurs in the first 45 (Football London): “Look if the ball doesn’t go out it doesn’t go out. If the ball doesn’t go out for three minutes or 10 minutes you have to play. Then when it’s out the decision is to be made, but the right decision. Not the wrong decision. The more time the ball is in play, the more time the VAR has to watch replays, replays and replays.
“So one more reason to give the right decision, but the game started immediately with the wrong decision. It’s a red card, it’s a direct red card to Sterling.
“I know it’s a direct red card immediately in the beginning of the game. I know that Mike Dean has a difficult job. He’s on the pitch and it’s 200 miles an hour. I wouldn’t like to be a referee because it’s so difficult. Sometimes I try in training sessions and I realise that it’s too difficult. So for me Mike Dean, good performance. The problem is the VAR.”
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